Sorrowful Tears of the Moon
by Tango Dancer
Summary: "A lone tear ran down his cheek. He'd done it. He was back, back before it had all begun. Back when they were all still alive. This time, though, Aizen would be crushed before he could destroy everything." When all hope is lost, Ichigo goes back in time.
1. Chapter 1

**Sorrowful Tears of the Moon  
**By Tango Dancer

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**Hi everyone! So, this is a new story, Bleach only. A few things you have to know:**

**#Slight AU: Bleach canon occurred when Ichigo was 18, not 15, because I needed Karin to be older, and the twins are only 3 years younger than him.  
#Pairing is Ichigo/Byakuya, though it's not a romance-focused story.  
#This will be a short story, meaning four chapters tops.  
#My mother tongue is French, not English, so if you see any mistakes, missing words or typos, please point them out.  
#This** "hey"** is spoken speech, and this **'oi!' **is thoughts. Speech of Zanpakutô spirits and Shiro is respectively in **_italics_**, _bold italics_ and ****bold****. **

**Critiques are appreciated, as long as they're not hurtful or plain mean. **

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**Kurosaki Clinic, Karakura Town. **

Karakura town was a quiet town. Sure, it had its share of strange happenings, people disappearing, people dying mysteriously, explosions without any visible cause, but in the end, it was quite normal. In a normal house by a normal clinic, a boy was asleep in one of the rooms on the second floor. He had bright orange hair, a lean but muscled body, tan skin and strong features which, by day, were usually set in a deep scowl. By night, however, he seemed to relax, though this changed suddenly as his eyes began rolling under his closed eyelids.

Suddenly, he sat up with a gasp, sweat running down his face and under the collar of his shirt, limbs trembling and eyes wildly scanning the room for any threat. Slowly, his breathing deepened until it was back to a more normal rhythm, and he swung his legs over the edge of the bed before resting his elbows on his thighs and running his hands through his hair shakily. Again, he cast a look around the room.

Everything was how he remembered it. The empty closet on the left, his desk, covered in pens, notebooks and textbooks, the two rock bands posters on the walls on his right. The curtains fluttering slowly by the open window. He allowed himself a single moment of emotion as a lone tear ran down his cheek. He had done it. He was back in time. Back when it had all begun. Back when they were all still alive. Back when Aizen's plans could still be crushed in the bud.

He closed his eyes, trying to reign in his emotions, and spread out his senses. His sisters were asleep in the next room, their reiatsu weak and peaceful for Yuzu, stronger but still calm, pulsing with the regularity of sleeping people for Karin. They were both unscathed, and fourteen again. His father was in his room downstairs, it was a convenient arrangement if his services as a doctor where needed in the middle of the night. Ichigo could feel it, the way his powers were on the verge of overwhelming the restraint of his gigai. It wouldn't be long now before he got Engetsu back, and he most likely already could see and interact with spirits.

Knowing that he couldn't allow anyone to sense his new reiatsu, Ichigo reigned his power in tightly and sealed it with a black choker and matching leather armbands he'd been given in his time in prevision of this. He would need to keep his cover. Maybe even act as if nothing was different. Aizen had said he'd been watching him since his birth, so he would need to throw off his suspicions, act like he didn't bother with spirits. He wouldn't get involved with the Shinigami. He paused at that, stood up. He stood slightly shorter than he remembered, but that was no issue. He could feel the familiar presence of the three spirits of his inner world, and sent them a silent wave of warmth and affection, to which they immediately responded in kind.

It was amazing, how close he'd grown to them when two of them had been his enemies at first, while the first he had barely any relationship with except when he truly needed help in battle. They had truly accepted each other now, become one single soul even though they could still communicate like separate beings and materialize whenever they wished it. In the future, theirs had been a relationship admired and respected by all, he had sometimes been asked to go give lectures at the Academy on Zanpakutô communication whenever he wasn't off to one battlefield or another, but that had stopped when it had been destroyed as well as a good part of the Seireitei.

It was on that sorrowful day that Kisuke had finally opened up about the mysterious device he'd been working on so furiously for the past year, and told him what he hoped for. And so it was that in the middle of a darkness which seemed to have no end, they had found a tiny glimmer of hope.

He couldn't afford to get involved in Shinigami business. Rukia would stick with him, hindering his movements as it was out of the question for him to tell her all that he knew. She didn't know him, was still quite stuck-up and attached to the rules, there was no way she would believe him instead of reporting the weird human with oddly-high spiritual pressure who had dangerous knowledge of the inner workings of the Soul Society. He would become an outlaw, and there was no time for that. Aizen couldn't know about him. He had to consider him as harmless and focus on someone else. He turned his attention to the strongest reiatsu signature in the house for now.

Karin.

He shot a glance at the calendar. His meeting with Rukia would only occur on the next day. Or would have. As it was, he still had a night of sleep before he would have to start orchestrating the biggest play the world have ever seen. Where Aizen had been the puppeteer, he would be the one holding the strings this time. The three worlds would be his chessboard, and all belligerents his pawns. He only had to decide what to do with them.

He let his eyes slide shut.

For now, he could sleep in peace.

Because the blade of fate now had a wielder.

o-O-o

Kurosaki Isshin was a smart man. Of course, he acted like a fool most of the time, putting up a goofy façade as he assaulted his son, cried to an oversized memorial poster of his late wife and was overprotective of his daughters though his children made no secret that they thought he was horribly perverted, but his actions had an objective. As an ex-shinigami captain, he knew what horrors roamed the world of the Living, and that his children, as the progeny of a powerful spiritual being, would obviously attract Hollows with their above average reiatsu levels.

The one who worried him most was Ichigo, who'd been able to see spirits ever since he was very small, and it was actually what had caused the death of his mother at the claws of Grand Fisher. The once smiling boy had never been the same after that, believing everything was his fault, and after countless reassurances by his sisters and father that it was not, had stopped mentioning it. Deep in his heart, though, Isshin knew that the boy had never believed them, but just stopped saying what he truly thought because he knew they would deny it. Ichigo had a lot of potential, and would doubtlessly become a Shinigami upon his death. But Aizen, Isshin knew, might want to use him before that, and so he subtly trained him by keeping him on his toes with carefully orchestrated assaults at any time.

Karin was next in line. With Ichigo's ever leaking spiritual pressure, her natural talent was vastly enhanced, and though she refused to "believe" in them, she could see ghosts just as much as her elder brother. He knew that Ichigo would never let her get involved in dangerous events, though, and so trained her to a lesser extent, making sure she knew how to defend herself and sending her to attend karate lessons at the local dojo –just as Ichigo once had. She had become good friends with Tatsuki as a result, as the older girl was somewhat like a mentor to her, and consequently with Inoue Orihime, Tatsuki's best friend, whose crush on Ichigo was notorious and obvious to anyone who wasn't the boy himself.

Yuzu, though she had enough spiritual pressure to see a blurred outline, couldn't really see or hear them, and was therefore the safest in the family apart from himself, considering that he was starting to get his powers back, but currently only had enough to attract Hollows, not to fend them off. It was a dangerous, precarious situation, but it would soon change, and in the meantime, he was stuck with reigning in as much of his spiritual pressure as possible.

He was already up and eating when Ichigo came into the kitchen, but stopped with his spoon halfway to his mouth as he took in the form of his eldest son. Something had changed. He watched as the young man walked in, ruffling his sisters' hair much to Karin's disgruntlement ("I'm fifteen, not five, for God's sake!") and Yuzu's delight ("Good morning, Ichi-nii! Did you sleep well?") before helping himself to the food somewhat shakily and taking a seat across from his father, who merely watched him with narrowed eyes.

"What's the matter, Goat-face? Finally realized that you should act as a grown-up instead of an immature four-year-old?"

Isshin jerked at the taunt and immediately flew off to Masaki's poster, flailing his arms dramatically and crying rivers over how mean his children were when Karin emitted a less than ladylike snort. Finally, he went back to the table to finish his meal, trying to pinpoint what had changed. There was something new in the way Ichigo walked, he noticed soon after. His gait was more of a stalk, as if he were a predator, and he made not a sound as he moved across the room to get another helping of rice. It was almost unreal. He could barely believe it. His eyes followed his son's retreating back as he exited the room to get ready for school with a short goodbye.

It was only when Ichigo had left the house and he could feel no difference in the air that he noticed: the boy had pretty much no reiatsu.

o-O-o

The girl with the pink-striped white shirt was at the same spot she'd been the first time around, but this time, he didn't run towards the Hollow when he heard it. Instead, he let things happen the way they would have had he not been there, and just let out a tiny burst of reiatsu to distract the Hollow before firmly bottling it up again with an iron-grip. As expected, the Hollow, which had turned away from the little girl to follow his delicious-smelling soul, stopped a few miles away, and Ichigo just made his way to school.

His friends, he noticed as he clamped down his emotions to resist the horrible urge to gather them all close to him, lock them up somewhere and never let them out of his sight ever again, already had reiatsu of their own, and so he tried to let his own trickle out in the same amounts if not a little more than before so that Karin had the help he'd had when he'd broken into Soul Society. Apart from the fact that his sister would be the one to fight the battles that had originally been his, he wanted to keep the timeline exactly the same as it had been, so that Aizen wouldn't change his plans and escape. This time, as soon as he lifted a finger, the traitor would be neutralized without even knowing what had hit him.

That night, he stayed downstairs to watch TV with his sisters even as he felt Fishbone's reiatsu get closer. Karin had gone up to her room. Another familiar reiatsu had his throat closing up with emotion, and it took all his impressive willpower to just let himself be knocked around and crash through the kitchen table before staying down, feigning unconsciousness, even as all he wanted was to get up and hug her tightly when she appeared, all clad in black with her faithful Sode no Shizayuki at her side, before taking the hit that was meant for Karin.

"Give me the Zanpakutô, Shinigami."

"It's not 'Shinigami.' It's Kuchiki Rukia."

"Nice to meet you, Kuchiki Rukia. My name is Kurosaki Karin."

There was a flash of light, before out of the corner of his eye, Ichigo saw Karin defeat the Hollow and collapse under the sudden strain. Urahara stepped in from the shadows and helped put them all to bed, before leaving with Rukia to give her that gigai. The one which contained the Hogyoku and would stop her from regaining her powers. He clenched his fists at that, but stayed passive. As always in this reality.

o-O-o

Karin's behavior changed slightly after the incident with the Hollow. Isshin had been surprised when it was her instead of Ichigo who'd come into contact with the Shinigami girl, but he'd let it go. She was now dealing with the Hollows in Karakura with the help of Rukia, who would come over from time to time and, he suspected, actually slept in her closet. He said nothing and watched, noticing the small oddities in Ichigo's behavior that he couldn't explain. The sudden absence of noticeable reiatsu, the ease with which he'd been knocked out during the attack, the way his demeanor had changed… his eyes.

His eyes, far too dark, far too old compared to what they'd been only days ago. He seemed to zone out at random times, and when he did, a strange look would cross his face, twisting his features in a mask of hideous agony whenever he thought nobody was looking. It was as though he was remembering something horrible, and somehow, Isshin found himself torn between an unexplainable need never to know and the understandable curiosity about what had happened to change his son so much. He was worried too, but he didn't know what to do.

And so, he did the only thing he could think of: he went to Urahara's.

It had been a long time since he'd seen Kisuke, but he was pretty sure he'd be welcomed anyway. Masaki's death had been a hard blow, and he'd blamed himself and his secrets for quite some time, still did, and especially the stupid decision to seal his powers which had stopped him from rescuing his wife from death, and his son from trauma. He missed Ichigo's smile, his brilliance and open kindness, his laugh. Ichigo never laughed, now less than ever. He stopped in front of the store and watched Jinta bully Ururu with a sad smile on his face. And then, Ichigo's heart-wrenching sorrowful face flashed across his eyes, and he stepped forward. The kids immediately saluted and brought him to the shop-keeper, who was having tea with Tessai.

They caught up around tea, before the blonde put his cup down and looked up, grey eyes serious for once.

"So, Isshin, what brought you here?"

"Straight to the point, I see." Isshin said, then sighed as he, too, put down his still half-full cup. "It's Ichigo."

Urahara raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, I was quite surprised to see that Karin-chan was the one to receive Kuchiki Rukia's powers."

"That's what I don't understand. Right the day before, he was normal. And then, when he came down for breakfast that morning, he was… different."

"Different? Different how?"

Isshin rubbed his hand over his chin.

"It's as if he's never had more reiatsu than Yuzu, yet, I'm positive he was always the most spiritually aware of the three. Then, there's the way he walks: it's completely silent, not a single sound. He's calmer somehow, almost nonchalant when I jump him. If I didn't know better, I'd say he can feel me before seeing me. And then…" He trailed off, looking at nothing in particular.

"And then?" Urahara prompted gently.

"His eyes." Isshin whispered. "He has the eyes of someone who's seen so many horrors that…" He choked. "He has the eyes of a veteran, someone who's been through very painful events, someone who doesn't fear much because they've already seen it all. It's…" His voice broke, but he continued anyway. "And then, there's the way he stares off when he thinks nobody's looking, and he suddenly looks so very, very sad… You'd think all he held dear had died around him." He took a deep breath. "I don't know what to make of it, Kisuke. I don't even know if he's still my son. I just know that I have to find out what the problem is, but he'll never open up to me."

Urahara had listened intently, touched by his friend's obvious distress. Isshin was usually a very easy-going man, not much could upset him to such a point, but to see him like this made it obvious that whatever was happening to Ichigo, it was clearly very important. He thanked Tessai as the bulky man came to refill the teapot with warm liquid, then turned back to the ex-captain and asked for details. After failing to pick up on Grand Fisher's presence in the World of the Living all those years ago, the least he could do was try with all his might to find out what the problem was with his friend's son.

o-O-o

Said young man felt perfectly fine at the moment. He was sitting in class, thinking about what the next course of action should be. He could see Ishida's dark head at the front of the class, feel the proud hum of his reiatsu, the awakening spiritual pressures of his friends nearby, Karin's two floors down with Rukia's nearby, and smiled to himself. Everything was going well. Today, they would fight for Shibata Yuuichi's soul and send that despicable Hollow to Hell before sending the poor soul on to Soul Society. He snorted as he remembered what Rukia had told the boy before performing Konso. He hadn't known at the time, but she of all people was of course aware that Soul Society was mostly a terrible place to be. Rukongai was filled with vermin, the spiritually aware were forced to steal to survive, and people from the higher districts were looked down upon by those from the lower districts, the Shinigamis and the nobility.

Soul Society wasn't a peaceful afterlife. It was another life, with its struggles, its pains and its horrors. This one, however, was eternal, and if you died, you either became part of the Hollow who devoured you, or got reincarnated. The horror.

Ichigo jumped slightly as Tatsuki nudged him, hand instinctively searching for a Zanpakutô which wasn't there.

'**Relax, **_**Aibou**_**. Everythin's fine.' **

He nodded slightly to himself, though Tatsuki obviously took it for her as she went back to her notebook with a sigh, and turned back to his so as not to appear distracted.

'Thanks, Shiro.'

'_You know we are here if you wish to talk, Ichigo.'_ His Zanpakutô deep voice echoed in his mind, and he inwardly gave a soft smile.

'Thank you, Zangetsu.'

They fell silent for a while, before Shiro spoke up again.

'**This is really boring, isn't it?' **

Ichigo acquiesced. 'Yep. Can't do anything about it, though. Sorry, Shiro, but until Aizen unmasks himself, then we can't do a thing.'

'_We should still take a few precautions.'_ Zangetsu advised. _'Did you think about what you should do with the Vizards and the Arrancars?'_

'If everything goes well, the Arrancars won't get the chance to step in, so I don't think there's a need to go and try to convince them to go against Aizen. What's more, they wouldn't believe me.' He paused as he felt them nod. 'As for the Vizards, I'm not sure. I don't think I should involve them either. They wouldn't be much use anyway.'

Again, they nodded.

'He escaped through the Negación last time, so we'll need to neutralize that.' He paused. "Though a lot of things happened between his arrival on Sokyoku Hill and their departure. What do you think?' he directed that last question at the third spirit in his mind, who had per his usual demeanor, stayed quiet and attentively listened to everything that was being said.

'_**If as much time **__**passed before he left **__**as your memories show, you will have no problem preventing his escape. You should warn Gin, though.'**_

Ichigo nodded.

'Yeah, thanks. Are you three alright, by the way? I know this time-travel thing can be somewhat… shocking.' He chuckled softly, eliciting a cackle from Shiro, an indulgent smile from Zangetsu and a gentle look on his third counterpart's face.

'**We're fine, **_**Aibou**_**. Not everyone's a pussy like ya.' **

A vein ticked on the hybrid's temple, but he refrained from shouting in the middle of class. And so started one of the numerous daily arguments between the Shinigami and the Hollow while in the background, two Zanpakutôs listened with growing amusement.

o-O-o

It took all his restraint not to go after Grand Fisher when he finally showed up. In the end, as soon as they were back, he left the clinic in a hurry, not minding the rain, and ran as quickly as he could to the place where his mother had died. Standing there, looking at the tumultuous water, he then tilted his head back before punching the ground with as much force as he could muster with his reiatsu limited and in this body. The blow still left a small crater, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

"The fucker escaped!" He roared out, feeling more furious than he ever had before except for a few select occasions, a fair number of those being when he'd come face to face with the traitor. "The fucker escaped!" He yelled again. He need to let off some steam. He felt like he would explode any moment now. His reiatsu was bubbling inside of him, demanding to be released, and it had been too long since he'd gotten any real training, a good fight, the opportunity to go all out. He couldn't go to Urahara's, though, obviously, and Hueco Mundo would be a bad idea considering that such a massive explosion of reiatsu would undoubtedly attract Aizen's attention. Same with Soul Society, and he certainly didn't need an entire army tracking him down to execute him like a rabid dog or experiment on him like a guinea pig.

In other words, he was stuck. Unless…

There was somewhere he could go, as they certainly had strong enough barriers to mask his reiatsu, but he doubted they would just accept to let him train if he asked nicely. Hiyori, for one, would just try to fight him, and Shinji and the others would want to know who the hell he was if he wasn't with Soul Society. A tingling feeling in his hand made him look down. The leather armbands were starting to loosen under the building pressure, and he knew he didn't have much time. Like it or not, he had to release his reiatsu now, or he would be discovered. And boy, would that be bad.

Glancing about, he checked that there wasn't anyone around then vanished in a flash of Shindo, a new technique made of a mixture of Sonido and Shunpo that he'd created during the war.

Standing in the shadows of a telephone pole, Kurosaki Isshin stared morosely at the spot where his son had been a mere second ago and wondered how that could have happened.

o-O-o

He stood in the deserted street, watching the crumbling façade of the abandoned warehouse, feeling the powerful barriers which carefully warded it against Shinigami and Hollows alike, but it wasn't a problem for him as he was neither and both. Closing his eyes, he reveled in the familiar warmth of Hachi's reiatsu, almost basking in the feel of it as the last time he'd seen the tall Kido Master, he'd been nothing more than a smoldering corpse at Aizen's feet, his body horribly mutilated by the hordes of mutated Arrancars the traitor had let loose on him. He, Kensei, Mashiro and Love had fought valiantly and to the last, only to end up in bloody pieces on the ground.

He steeled himself, amber eyes taking on a determined glint as he squared his shoulders. They weren't dead anymore. They were alive now, and the ever increasing pain of his body reminded him that he needed their help. Sighing to himself at the thought of the upcoming confrontation, he walked forward, grimacing as every step made his limbs scream in agony, reiatsu pulsing angrily in this container too weak for the vast power he wielded. At this rate, he would collapse before he could make it out of his body or even talk the Vizards into allowing him to use their training grounds.

The barrier hummed as it scanned him and he allowed Shiro's reiatsu to rise to the surface and mingle with his own before passing the door. It slammed shut behind him but he didn't pay it any mind, instead choosing to look up and at the eight individuals perched on the crumbled floors of the warehouse.

"Who the hell are you?" Hiyori yelled, Zanpakutô already unsheathed. The others didn't move, but all had one hand on the hilt of their own weapons, ready to draw. His breath caught in his throat as his eyes rested over Rose's elegant form. After finding his lover's disfigured corpse, the Vizard had gone on a rampage, throwing himself into one battle after another without care for his safety. In the end, he'd died with a smile on his face, Love's name on his lips and Aizen's blade stuck through his heart. Ichigo was the one who'd found him, and brought him back to Soul Society to be buried with the other Vizards, knowing that he'd finally managed to get what he wanted: death in battle. It was the only thing he'd been able to consider after losing the love of his life and Ichigo couldn't blame him, though he'd grieved for him as he had for the others. They were, after all, family. And he'd lost them all.

A wave of pain pulsed through his body and he gritted his teeth together, briefly scrunching his eyes shut as he waited for it to pass. Up on her perch, Hiyori got annoyed and made to attack, but stopped as Shinji put a calming hand on her arm.

"Wait."

Looking down, she noticed the same thing that the other Vizards had been looking at with deep frowns: the kid seemed to be in excruciating pain and trying to gather his composure back. Nodding for her to stay there, Shinji gracefully got down from his perch and stepped towards the stranger.

"Oi, kid, what's your problem?"

Glowing amber eyes looked up, but at Hachi instead of him.

"As many layers… as you can… please… Hachi."

They were taken aback at his knowledge of their names, but as he moaned another throaty "please" and fell to his knees, Shinji just nodded at the pink-haired giant. Instantly, he clapped his hands and started incanting, before announcing it was done.

"_Gi_… _Gikon_!" The kid gasped again, and Lisa darted forward with the emergency red glove on her hand, slamming it on his forehead. His body slumped to the ground before she took it up to safety, and they watched as the kid, no, man, because though the body was young, the soul was at least five years older, practically ripped off the black choker and armbands he had on. Instantly, his reiatsu leapt free, crushing them all to the ground under its immense pressure. They shared flabbergasted looks as his body slowly stopped twitching. It was unbelievable that this kid had just sent them to their knees with only his spiritual pressure. Such power was so rare they were pretty sure the last person with a similar amount had been Aizen Sôsuke, and even then, they weren't sure he could mimic such an effortless wave of crushing might.

After a while, they found that the stranger had been gradually reigning in his reiatsu and stood back up, slowly approaching the now motionless body lying on the cold ground.

"Oi." Shinji poked him with the tip of his shoe. "You alive in here?"

There was a groan and they tensed, before suddenly, his eyes snapped open. Mashiro jerked. Amber eyes swept over them all, drinking up their features like a starved man, only warmth and recognition in there, and they stiffened even more. Who the hell was this guy?

"Thanks." He said at last, slowly rising to his feet. When he wasn't gasping in pain, he had a low voice, warm and soothing, but it was still too early to relax, especially considering the fact that he was a completely unknown factor. A fluttering of white got their attention, and they realized that he was wearing a fitting captain's haori over a thin black skin-tight turtleneck, black combat pants and black combat boots. His hands were encased in fingerless leather gloves, and there was a silk black scarf wrapped around his neck. Two Zanpakutôs were strapped to his back, one with black and red hilt wrapping and a black sheath, and the other with purple hilt wrapping and a crimson sheath. The guy's orange hair was now streaked with white and brown and hung to his shoulders, eyes full of a wisdom none should ever display at such a young age, though it was true that Shinigami's appearances tended to be deceiving.

"Who are you?"

Disturbingly knowing eyes swept over them all again, and when they came to rest on Shinji, he was stricken by the pure affection, the pure relief and kindness, all mixed with deep, deep sorrow in his gaze.

"My name is Kurosaki Ichigo. I mean you no harm. I swear it on my power."

They gaped at that.

"Kurosaki? Any relation to Isshin?" Lisa asked carefully.

He nodded. "His son."

"How's that possible?" Kensei said distrustfully. "And how the hell are you wearing a captain's haori?"

They all paused at that.

"I know of your relationship with Soul Society. You shouldn't worry, though. As of now, they don't even know I exist."

"Then how do you explain the uniform?"

'**Tell 'em, **_**Aibou**_**. They'll go to Urahara or worse, your father if ya don't.' **

He hesitated.

'Zangetsu?'

'_I agree with Shiro.'_

Anticipating the question, his second Zanpakutô answered calmly. _**'I agree. Their support would be immensely helpful.'**_

Ichigo sighed. "Very well, then." He turned back to the Vizards and straightened up, unconsciously adopting a ready military pose which had them all gaping.

"I'm from the future. We were losing the war. Aizen managed to create mutated Arrancars whose power defied imagination, and our men were getting crushed like flies. Those whom they couldn't fell, Aizen destroyed himself. He was unstoppable. So Kisuke created this machine which used reiatsu to send me back in time before it all began. I would keep my powers, knowledge and memory so that I could nip his plans in the bud. It's been going well so far, but I'm still waiting for the time he drops the mask."

They stared when he finished, examining his face for any hint of treachery, humor or anything alike. But there wasn't. He only looked sincere, and his story actually explained so much! Like the fact that his soul seemed to have years on his body, his eyes held the haunted look of war veterans, his demeanor was that of a predator, the Soul Society didn't know him yet his power was immense and…

"How come you've got two Zanpakutô?" Love asked brusquely.

Tan fingers came to brush against the hilt of the purple Zanpakutô in a loving caress before he let his hand drop back to his side as the Vizards tensed again.

"He chose to bind himself to me. I'm glad he did." He said with a soft smile, eyes slightly glazed over.

Hiyori snorted. "I bet you do. More power's always good for something."

"No." He corrected brutally, all warmth suddenly gone from his eyes. "No, that's not it at all. He was born from another's soul, but _he_" he spat the word like it was poison "chose to abuse and reject him instead of seeing him for the wonderful person he is. I'm glad he chose to bind himself to me, because now, he can finally see what a Zanpakutô can be when their soul resonates with their Shinigami's."

Passion. There was so much passion in his words, and as if in echo, his Zanpakutôs started humming, purple and red-lined black reiatsu gently pulsing around the hilts, thin tendrils of power gently reaching out to caress his face and wrap around his body as if in a hug before slowly retreating and fading away. He looked far more relaxed after that, and closed his eyes briefly, obviously communicating with them, before turning back to the group.

"So, how did you know us?"

He smiled. "You helped me with a… problem, of mine."

"You're like us?" Mashiro blurted out, much to Kensei's exasperation.

"I was, yes."

"What do you mean, was?" Kensei was suspicious again. Ichigo sighed.

"Shiro and I made a deal. We decided that it was better to ally ourselves if we wanted to get stronger, and I can even let him out for extended periods of time if I want to."

"**Actually, he means if I want to."** A new voice said, and they jumped as they discovered an albino double of the man standing across from them leaning against the wall. Ichigo looked annoyed for a second.

"Aren't you supposed to be sleeping, or something?"

"**I'm bored, nothin's been happenin' lately."** Ichigo scoffed.

"I almost died. Again. Isn't that enough?"

"**Hell, no! Ya were containin' so much reiatsu ya almost made yar body implode, doesn't mean we had fun in there, ya know! Buildings crumblin' and all, not much ta do!" **

"Sorry."

Golden on black met amber on white for a second as an unspoken message passed between them, and Shiro nodded.

"**It's okay, **_**Aibou.**_** We're all alive and whole, that's all that counts." **

Ichigo smiled. "How are the others?"

"**Okay. Mura's a little shaken, but he'll be fine."**

The young man looked immensely relieved.

"Wow." Was all Rose could say at the sight of the obviously sane Hollow, and they found themselves agreeing. "How the hell?"

"I told you. Compromise. It's the best option, and you'll only grow stronger."

They looked at each other, then nodded determinedly.

"Why did you come here, though?" Mashiro enquired curiously.

"Well, as you could see, I wasn't really in the best of shapes. As Shiro said, my body couldn't bear my power, especially given that I've been restraining it ever since I came back to the past. Wouldn't want to alert Aizen that something's not as it should be. Anyway, I needed somewhere to release my reiatsu without drawing any unwanted attention, and the only place I could think of with strong enough wards was here." He smiled at Hachi. "Thanks, by the way."

They stayed silent for a while.

"I guess I'll be going back for now. My father's already suspicious, no need to give him more reasons to think something's wrong with me."

"You mean he doesn't know?" Shinji asked, surprised.

"Obviously not. Neither does Urahara, so please refrain from telling them anything. I'll be back as soon as possible so that I can help with your Hollows." And just like that, he vanished, followed by his albino counterpart. But right as he turned his back on them, they saw the simple character of a Chinese number one on the back of his haori. For the umpteenth time this day, they found themselves gaping in shock.

o-O-o

**Kurosaki Clinic, Karakura Town. **

**Two months later. **

Kurosaki Karin cursed. It had been two months since she'd met the Shinigami Kuchiki Rukia and been given the power to protect the family, and she liked to think that the two of them had developed a solid friendship and a good partnership, despite their earlier difficulty to get along considering that the Substitute had strongly asserted her absolute refusal to believe in ghosts. Now, though, she didn't have much choice as she was forced to go about purifying Hollows day and night, while still going to school, doing homework and keeping up appearances for her family's sake.

As she gazed down at the small note, she cursed again.

_For certain reasons, I am going away. Don't try to find me and don't worry about me. Burn this letter once you read it. And, if possible, hide yourself for a little while._

She reached out for Kon, but then hesitated. What if she couldn't find her? Surely, having back-up would be best if she wanted to find her quickly. She gazed at the wall separating her bedroom from her brother's, then shook her head. Ichigo had changed lately. Though he tried to hide it, she could see he had something on his mind, something important, and she had kept him away from the Shinigami's secret for a reason. If everything ever blew up in her face, she didn't want him involved. Leading him out in the dark to search for a missing girl he'd barely ever met was only going to confuse him and endanger him. Nodding her head decisively, she ruffled through Kon's mouth, ignoring his muffled protests, and popped the _gikon_ in her mouth, dashing through the window as soon as she was in soul form.

On the other side of the wall, Ichigo sighed. The game was starting, and he had no choice but to let his sister get left to die on the pavement of a deserted street in the middle of the night. She had to get stronger, there was no other option, for he couldn't reveal himself, and were he to fail stopping Aizen, then she would have to be able to fight against the Espada. Without an inner Hollow, she wouldn't be up to the challenge, and it would be the end. He could watch, though, and make sure things didn't degenerate or change compared to the first time around. Quickly popping the Mod-Soul Shinji had managed to get him by telling Urahara he'd lost his into his mouth, he stretched his limbs, arching his back with a relieved sigh as he got all his mobility back, and turned to his body.

"Stay here, act like me and don't make a fuss. If someone comes in, act like you're asleep."

"Yes sir."

He nodded at the Mod-Soul and jumped through the window, disappearing into the night in a flash of Shunpo. He liked to change flash-stepping techniques from time to time, usually keeping Shindo as an ace up his sleeve to throw off his opponent, though it hadn't been of much use against Aizen whom he'd taken to fight using that only, considering how fast both of them were. Yoruichi had once said that his technique, that only he could use, was a testimony to the true beauty of Hoho and that she was proud of him. She'd died six months later in Kisuke's arms, pain etched on her beautiful face and blood seeping through her tattered clothes into the blonde's. The shop-keeper had never been the same after that, burying himself in work and experimenting day in day out to make the time-machine.

Urahara Kisuke had given his life to activate the device, one more death on the man he liked to call his star-pupil's conscience, though he'd insisted to send Ichigo. Because Ichigo was more powerful, because Ichigo had fought against Aizen more times than any of them, because Ichigo was their only hope. But the hybrid had known, deep in his heart, that Kisuke no longer wished to live. The machine completed and functional, a powerful warrior sent back to make everything right again, the love of his life killed by his mortal enemy, he had nothing left to live for. And giving his reiatsu would kill him while still giving him time to utterly destroy the machine and all of his research. Aizen would never ever know what had happened, and even if he did, he would never be able to construct such a device before years had passed, and by then, it would be too late.

Ichigo shook his head as he landed on top of a shadowed phone pole, both ends of his scarf fluttering slightly before settling down as he wrapped it around the lower part of his face. He checked that his reiatsu was entirely cloaked, then focused back on the scene unfolding down on the street. Ishida was lying in a pool of his own blood, grocery bag a few feet away from him, and Rukia was frozen in place by her brother's reiatsu. Said noble was watching Renji fight Karin emotionlessly, haori nowhere in sight as silver eyes analyzed the newcomer carefully .

Ichigo's breath caught in his throat as memories threatened to overwhelm him, choke him and drag him far, far away from the world of the sane.

"_I'm sorry. So sorry…" _

_Rapidly paling lips stretched into a strained smile, tears running down the face leaning over him and falling on pale skin. Long, elegant fingers rose up to brush against his cheek and came away wet. He tightened his grip on the fallen body. _

"_Do not cry. It wasn't your fault."_

"_I should have been here." _

_The man in his arms shook his head painfully. _

"_Even with all the power in the world… you can't save everyone… I fought to the last… died a warrior…" _

"_No… no…" _

"_Listen to me… Dying a honorable death… Dying in your arms… Knowing I will be remembered… It's more than I could ever… have hoped for." _

_He was openly crying now, but the silver pools were dry. _

"_I only wish… I had more time with you." _

_Trembling tan fingers pushed back an inky strand sticky with blood with infinite care and tenderness. _

"_I love you. Always." _

"_I know." Pale eyelids slid shut. "I love you too… Forever." _

_His hand fell back down to his side, pale skin stained with crimson red, and the survivors of the raid watched with tears in their eyes as the Hero of the Winter War lost yet another loved one and howled his loss to the moon before burying his tear-stained face in the crook of the neck of Kuchiki Byakuya, late Clan Head of the Kuchikis and Captain of the Sixth Division. _

_The night Kurosaki Ichigo lost his lover was also the night he lost hope._

A single tear ran down his cheek and he balled his hands into fists, drinking in the aristocratic features of the noble, relishing in the strong pulse of his restrained reiatsu, the calm fluttering of his scarf in the summer breeze, the way passing cars lighted him up even though the drivers couldn't see him. Kuchiki Byakuya didn't know him anymore, he realized with a sharp jolt of pain as the man unsheathed his Zanpakutô and Karin started falling, her sword broken in two and her Saketsu and Hakusui severed. Rukia ran forward, screaming Karin's name, before Renji beat some sense into her, and they stepped through the Senkaimon after the short Shinigami had forbidden the Substitute from following her.

Ichigo snorted. As if any Kurosaki would just lie down and take orders from a midget like her. Never in hell. Unlike him, he noticed as the Senkaimon gate closed, Karin lost consciousness as soon as Rukia left her field of sight, and he took the opportunity to flash-step closer and make sure she would live until Urahara arrived. He then checked on Ishida, whose wounds were nowhere near the gravity of Karin's, and nodded to himself. Everything was fine. He sunk back into the shadows just in time to see Urahara step up to Karin's body with an umbrella, before getting Tessai to pick up both her and the fallen Quincy.

Five minutes later, the street was deserted again, and silent except for the quiet pitter-patter of raindrops on the pavement and the fading sound of wooden sandals clacking against the asphalt.

o-O-o

**Urahara Shop, Karakura Town. **

**Five days later. **

"How's it coming?"

"She's regained her power, with an addition." Isshin face darkened at that, and Urahara continued. "It'll be alright, Isshin. Your daughter's a strong one."

"Yeah, they all are." He paused. "Speaking of my kids, did you notice anything?"

The shop-keeper carefully put down his cup of tea in front of him.

"I would have bet there was someone else where I found Karin. But I couldn't be sure. Whoever they were, they were a master at concealing reiatsu."

"So you didn't see anything?"

"No."

"That's too bad."

"Whoever it is, I'm pretty sure they'll reveal themselves when the time comes. Until then, the only thing we can do is wait." Urahara said wisely, prompting a nod from Isshin.

"Shinji came by a few weeks ago."

"He did? How are they?"

"Fine, apparently, though our blonde friend seems to have turned forgetful in his old days." Urahara hinted subtly. "He asked for a new _Gikongan_ as he'd lost his."

Isshin raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"Shinji, lose his _Gikon_? That's new. And even then, couldn't he just borrow one of the others'?"

The blonde shrugged nonchalantly. Isshin narrowed his eyes.

"You think our stranger contacted them?"

"There was a hint of darkness in his reiatsu, it was very weak and I couldn't really analyze it as he hid it very quickly, but… I think he might be a Vizard."

* * *

**Like I said, short story, so there will be time skips. I try to be thorough and convincing, though, and think really hard about the emotional state of the characters. **

**Leave a review please? They're like the finest chocolate ever to me^^! And I'll save some to make chocolate chip cookies... for you! **

***Shame-faced* Yeah, that was a bribing attempt. **

***Looks up hopefully* Did it work? **

**Let's see... **

**Review, pretty please? *Insert Sam Winchester's puppy-dog eyes* **

**Thank you for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorrowful Tears of the Moon  
**By Tango Dancer

* * *

**Hi everyone! Early update! Why? Because I want to, and because I've finished this story, so no worries about writer's block, lol! Hope you like this as much as you liked chapter 1, I'm not a big pro of fighting-scenes-writing, so bear with me please? **

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and please tell me what you think!**

**Someone (I think they disabled the PM feature, because I couldn't answer them) pointed out that I used 'Engetsu' instead of 'Zangetsu' in the first paragraphs of chapter 1. This was actually intentional: I was talking about Isshin, not Ichigo. Sorry for the misunderstanding, I wasn't clear enough^^!  
**

**Once again, I'm not an English-speaker, so thanks for pointing out mistakes. I'll proofread myself once I've updated this, as it's easier to read once the chapter is online.  
**

* * *

Chapter 02:

A sigh.

"This makes no sense whatsoever."

"I do agree." Urahara said, fan snapping open so suddenly that it made his friend jump. They fell silent once again, before Isshin spoke.

"Two months ago, I saw Ichigo use a strange technique."

The scientist leaned forward, looking interested.

"What kind of technique?"

"Well, he was standing on the riverbank, and then, suddenly, poof! He disappeared."

"Well, that could have been Shunpo."

"But it wasn't." Isshin insisted. "That's the problem. It wasn't Shunpo, or even Sonido! It was something I've never seen before, and it was damn fast."

A pause.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

The ex-Shinigami's shoulders slumped.

"I don't know. I guess I didn't want it to be real. But when they came to take the Kuchiki girl back, I could feel this… this emptiness in the house. Even the tiny amount of reiatsu Ichigo usually leaks out wasn't there, and Karin was using a Mod-Soul..."

The fan snapped open once more.

"Yes, a strange coincidence indeed." Urahara said slowly, obviously deep in thought. "So your son is most likely involved in Shinigami business… How?"

How? Now _that_ was a question they wished they had an answer for.

"I'm going to install security cameras around the shop. If Ichigo really is involved, there is a chance he will come to see Karin leave or to check up on her."

"I'll wait in the vicinity too. Do you still have that cloak? The one which completely conceals reiatsu."

Urahara smiled, fanning his face.

"Hai, hai! Tessai-san! Would you mind bringing me the concealing cloak?"

From the depths of the shop, they clearly heard Tessai's deep "yes, boss!" and looked back at each other. This promised to be interesting.

o-O-o

**Karakura Town. **

**August 8th, 1:00 am. **

Karin had left. He'd given her the protection charm and seen her off, and she hadn't even wondered why her father was up at one in the morning, and hadn't asked questions when he'd caught her sneaking out in the middle of the night. He sighed, wrapping the cloak tightly around his body, though he technically didn't need to as so long as the clasps were all in place, it concealed any and all reiatsu emitted by whatever it was wrapped around. Still, he couldn't help but feel nervous. Ichigo had been more distant than ever lately, spacing out and frowning thoughtfully, as if he were planning something or thinking really heard about something. It was disconcerting, this constant seriousness that he tried very hard to hide yet still couldn't keep off his face whenever he thought nobody was looking.

He watched in amusement as Karin sputtered when she saw Chad, Inoue and Ishida saying they were coming too, Chad because Rukia had saved him once, Ishida because he wanted to get revenge over the Soul Reapers, and Inoue for no particular reason except that she had the means to fight, had befriended Rukia and wanted to help Karin. Well, he guessed those were good reasons to go to Soul Society, actually. Yoruichi stepped forward, teasing Karin with her male voice, and Isshin snickered to himself at the thought of her face when she would find out she was actually a woman.

There was a very subtle movement in the air and suddenly, someone was standing in the shadows a mere foot away from him. He sunk a little deeper into the shadows, holding back a gasp as he stared at the newcomer. He, for it was definitely a he, was tall, with a lithe, muscled body, yet almost skinny. He was clad all in black, though not the traditional garb of the Shinigamis but rather in modern human combat clothes, with a silk black scarf wrapped around the lower part of his face, obscuring his features, a black dagger earring with a single ruby in its center dangling from his left earlobe. There were two Zanpakutôs strapped to his back, but Isshin couldn't bring himself to care. Because despite the scarf, despite the darkness, he could see them clear as day. Those amber orbs, slightly lighter than the chocolate brown he knew so very well, blazing with determination as they watched the group follow Urahara into the shop, the deep furrow of those eyebrows, and most of all, the bright orange of this spiky hair. It was longer, though, and streaked with white and brown, but it was still obvious, and it became even more so when the newcomer reached up and brought the scarf down to settle around his neck.

Isshin gaped. This was Ichigo. It couldn't be denied, because he knew his son, could spot him in a crowd, but his son… his son was only eighteen! He wasn't a mature man in his mid-twenties… and he certainly wasn't a captain of the Gotei 13 he'd never had any contact with!

"No way…"

Ichigo's head snapped to him, and his eyes widened slightly, but he didn't move. He seemed to hesitate briefly, then nodded slowly and turned back to the shop. Isshin took off the cloak as soon as he felt the Senkaimon close, then looked at his… son?

"Are you really Ichigo?"

Again, the man hesitated, then nodded once. "Yes, I am."

His voice was low, warm and soothing though slightly raspy, as if he'd smoked too much or screamed his throat raw, but he knew for a fact that Ichigo despised smoking –all the times he'd scolded him for smoking were proof of that, and he couldn't see what could have made him scream like that… Especially given that his body's voice was the same as ever. Isshin made to ask another question, but the door of the shop slid open once more, flooding the area with light, and Urahara stopped dead in his tracks, surprised to find not one, but two people there, one of them not what he expected at all. He quickly gathered his composure, though, and snapped open his fan.

"My, my, Kurosaki-san, what a pleasant surprise! I see that your father was wrong when he assumed you had no idea of the afterlife business." He said cheerfully.

Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"Yes, yes, nice to see you too, Kisuke, but unfortunately, I can't stay long, so I'll make it short. I'm from the future. Ten years, to be exact. Stopped aging at twenty-five. Aizen managed to make mutated Arrancars, and they just completely overwhelmed us. You managed to build a time-machine and sent me back to make things right. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and watch Karin."

He was stopped before he could take a single step, though.

"Wow, wow, wow, take it easy there, son. Ten years? How come you're the one Kisuke sent back and not Karin?"

"I was the one originally in her place." Ichigo said indifferently. "But I couldn't afford to have Rukia following me everywhere this time, and her giving me her powers would result in me showing up in this form… I needed Aizen to ignore me."

"But that means that all your friends would be hers now…"

Something flashed through his eyes, a pain so deep they couldn't even begin to fathom it, before he answered tonelessly.

"My friends are all dead. Kisuke was the last one, and he sacrificed himself to send me back." He left it at that, and they decided not to push the issue. They couldn't imagine how horrible it must have been for him to see all his friends fall one after the other.

"What about the Vizards?"

"They taught me quite a few things." Ichigo answered simply, and they nodded.

The fan snapped shut.

"Very well. I presume you're here to use the Senkaimon?"

He shook his head.

"We both know you couldn't open it again, and what's more, I've got my own means of transportation." He grinned roguishly.

They walked into the shop. Tessai stopped short as he saw them, but Jinta didn't have his delicacy.

"Oi! Who's the freak show?"

"The freak show has a name, brat. It's Kurosaki Ichigo."

The pink-haired kid looked at them all in turn.

"What? Yet another one? What the hell's up with this family? And what's with the freakin' haori?"

"Yes, I'd like to know that too." Isshin muttered as he took a glance at the glaring one on his son's back. However had he managed to replace the Captain-Commander?

"Yamamoto was killed around three years after the beginning of the war." Ichigo said tonelessly, walking past them and to the tea table. "Since I was mostly leading anyway, I was offered the position."

The kids looked at each other, looking positively lost, but a single glance at Urahara convinced them to shut up and wait before Tessai sent them away and they all sat down for tea.

"You don't look in such a hurry anymore." Isshin observed as he sat across his son.

The hybrid shrugged.

"Karin won't confront Aizen before another week or so, so I guess I can afford to stay there and chat for a while before I go other there."

"What did you plan on doing anyway?"

He shrugged.

"Make sure nothing changed, and if something did, then improvise according to that. Aizen needs to be stopped as soon as he reveals himself this time. Too many people paid for his crimes the first time around." He muttered between his teeth as he took a sip of tea and closed his eyes in bliss.

The three men let their gaze roam over his form, then to his Zanpakutôs, which he had laid on either side of him. Urahara's eyes took on an interested glint.

"No," Ichigo said without looking up, "there is absolutely no way I would let you experiment with either Zanpakutô, or my reiatsu, or my Hollow, or anything of the like."

The blonde's fan snapped open –again–, and he quickly tipped his hat forward in a familiar gesture which had Ichigo rolling his eyes in fond exasperation. This simple display of emotion was the last thing they needed to convince them that he was saying the truth, and they relaxed completely, which he feigned not to have noticed.

"Ma, ma, Kurosaki-kun, so cruel! I would never!"

He smirked, amber eyes glowing.

"I'm sure you wouldn't. Anyway, last person who tried ended up as little more than a small puddle of goo. Just saying." Urahara gulped, Tessai coughed behind his hand.

Isshin laughed.

o-O-o

**Soul Society, Rukongai district 78, Inuzuri. **

**Two days later. **

The air split open to leave way for a gaping black void, and out stepped a tall figure with his lower features masked by a silk black scarf. Looking around, he nodded to himself before heading over to where he could feel Karin's reiatsu. He found them all outside Shiba Kûkaku's house, standing by the Flower Crane Cannon. Karin was bickering with Ganju, while Yoruichi and Kûkaku talked together quietly, and the others just looked at the Shinigami Substitute in obvious amusement.

_I wonder if she's as horrible at controlling her spiritual pressure as I used to be._

'**Goin' from the way it constantly leaks outta her, I'd say yeah, she is!'** Shiro cackled. Ichigo rolled his eyes, ignoring the Hollow's glee.

'It's a good thing we improved, then, uh?'

'**Speak for yarself!' **Shiro blurted out indignantly. **'I never had tha' kinda problem!'**

'_You did.'_ Zangetsu contradicted.

'_**Yes, from Ichigo's memories, it seems that you project your reiatsu over several miles when you're out.'**_

'**That's not true! Liar!' **

'_**I do not lie. You should know that by now.' **_

'**Liar!' **

'_**It is true and you know it.' **_

'**Hell no! Liar! Liar! Liar! Hey! Are you ignoring me? Don't ya dare turn yar back on meh, oi! Come back 'ere, Mura-teme! Oi!' **

And so the bickering continued, while Zangetsu and Ichigo respectively watched and listened with unconcealed amusement. Mura, as Shiro had nicknamed him, stating his real name was far too long and annoying to pronounce, had been quite reclusive in the beginning, unsure as to what his place in this foreign inner world and this strange three –now four-ways relationship was, but with Zangetsu and Ichigo's efforts and Shiro's unsubtle attempts to bond with him through sparring, he'd eventually started feeling more at ease, and formed a deep bond with Ichigo's white doppelganger. When Ichigo and Shiro would fight separately, they usually used one Zanpakutô each, and would switch to confuse the enemy, or combine their attacks. The power being concentrated on one blade only, it made the offense far more powerful than if both fighters had been using the same Zanpakutô at the same time and thus had to split their reiatsu between them.

It was a good technique, and it had won them a lot of battles, but they had also learned to wield two blades at once, and both Zangetsu and Mura had managed to bond deeply enough that they could change themselves into a pair of short swords with their own abilities. It was a strange ability, one never seen in the history of the Soul Society as there had never been a Shinigami bonded with two Zanpakutôs at once, but this synchronization of the two blades had made them far more powerful than Aizen, though he'd always managed to evade them ever since they'd acquired it, and they'd never had the occasion to use it.

This time, he wouldn't be so lucky.

'_**We'll destroy him, Ichigo. You have my word.'**_

'**He means our word, **_**Aibou**_**.' **Shiro's voice was unusually solemn.

'_It is as they said.'_

He smiled as warmth flooded his entire being, and his heart swelled with love for the three spirits.

'Thanks, guys.'

"…Thirteen pairs of Horn Flutes! The right hand of the monkey grasps the stars!" Fire erupted from where Kûkaku had slammed her fist into the ground. "Embraced by twenty-five suns, the cradle of sand will spill blood." The fire gathered on her arm darted up the barrel. "Kakaku fire method number 2! KAGIZAKI!"

Kûkaku's yell brought him out of his thoughts, and he turned just in time to see the canon fire, and the ones who'd once been his comrades in arms fly off to Seireitei. With a satisfied sigh that at least, things were going as expected here, he turned and shunpoed away, directly towards Seireitei. He used the opportunity to look at the Rukongai in times of peace, watching powerless people go about their business, knocking bullies out with a single twitch of his finger without even stopping, and just generally enjoying the sheer quiet of a sunny day with a calm river and squealing children. Life might have been hard, but it was still life, and it was better than a crimson sky and an earth so soaked in blood it had become eternal mud.

He shook his head as he came upon the lower districts and checked once more that his reiatsu was well-hidden before darting forward. The barrier let him pass through when he let a tiny bit of power out as a proof that he definitely was a Shinigami, and he went to find a nice hideout to monitor the happenings in Soul Society for the next few days. He ended up in a small cavern in the forest not too far from Sokyoku Hill, which he quickly surrounded with sekki-sekki stone so that nobody would detect him before settling himself for waiting a few days.

Sighing to himself, he materialized all three spirits of his mindscape and smiled at them.

"Time for babysitting!" He said in a sing-song voice. Shiro groaned. Zangetsu nodded. Mura smiled, his eyes soft.

o-O-o

Everything had gone according to plan, he could scarcely believe it.

"This is astonishing." He said in silent awe as both Karin's and Byakuya's spirit pressures dropped down to weaker than normal level, testifying to the end of their fight. Karin had won against Ikkaku, Zaraki and Renji as expected, and received Hanatarou's help before disappearing for two days and a half to train for Bankai. When her reiatsu had reappeared, it had been just in time to stop the Sokyoku from executing Rukia, before fighting Byakuya and defeating him. It was slightly amusing to think of the long way the noble had come from there ten years in the future, and how much more powerful they had all grown. Karin's reiatsu, right now, though above average, was weak to Ichigo, and he knew he could crush them all with barely an effort.

Mura's pale hand found his shoulder as Zangetsu shifted closer to him, and Shiro looked towards him silently, golden eyes shining with eerie understanding. At their level, they didn't need words to communicate anymore. A single glance sufficed, and sometimes even a single thought. Their bond ran so deep that in their time, they'd been known and admired for its uniqueness.

Ichigo sighed and stood.

"It'll be time soon." They all nodded in unison, muscles taut with anticipation, power thrumming under their skin and in the very air around them. For months they had waited for this moment, this single instant when they would finally reveal themselves and bring down the man who'd destroyed so many lives in the original timeline. Again, they waited. But this time, they knew it wouldn't be long now.

o-O-o

"HIGA ZEKKOU!"

The broken fangs of the baboon started glowing as they rose up in the air, Renji's reiatsu pulsing strongly. In the forest, Ichigo disappeared in a flash while all over Seireitei, captains and lieutenants hurried over to Sokyoku Hill at their fastest Shunpo after hearing Isane's message.

Karin rushed forward at top speed, blue reiatsu shimmering around her body as she concentrated on dealing the strongest blow she could, determination bright in her grey eyes. Rukia counted on her, and Renji too, and apparently that Aizen guy was a traitor. There was no way she was going to let him have his way like they were just some puppets.

So focused was she that she didn't even notice the captains arrive on Sokyoku Hill, watching the situation with wide eyes as they took in the injured sixth squad lieutenant holding the former convict tightly to his chest, the ryoka girl charging at what they could only surmise was Aizen through the smoke raised by Renji's last attack, and the two other traitors just standing there watching. The power the girl was displaying was impressive, despite her gaping wounds and obvious exhaustion, and she had proven that she could defeat a captain by beating Kuchiki Byakuya himself a few minutes earlier.

Aizen, though, didn't seem the tiniest bit fazed as the dust settled down to reveal the girl. No. Instead, he merely… lifted a finger.

And swung.

o-O-o

Karin's eyes widened as the traitor blocked the full strength of her Bankai with a bare finger. She gasped, barely managing to catch the sight of his fingers wrapping around the hilt of his Zanpakutô out the corner of her eye. She knew she didn't have the time, the energy or the speed to dodge the incoming attack, and now that her senses had abruptly come back to her, she could hear the horrified gasps of the other people standing there, mostly captains and lieutenants.

"Karin! Get away from-!" Yoruichi never got the chance to finish her sentence. In the blink of an eye, Aizen struck.

There was an explosion.

Dust flew everywhere, engulfing the scene, concealing it from view.

"Karin-chan!" Inoue screamed in pure horror.

"Kurosaki!"

Ever so slowly, the dust started to settle once again, only for them to gasp in shock as a white haori fluttered in the breeze before settling down, proudly displaying the number one.

"Impossible!"

Nobody knew who said it, but it was a perfect summary of what everyone was thinking at the time, and they could only stare dumbfounded at the scene. The ryoka girl was kneeling on the ground, unharmed except from previous wounds, staring up in utter shock at the man who'd just blocked the blow meant to cut her in half, and stuttering incoherently.

Nothing moved.

The newcomer stood there, eyes locked with Aizen, whose brown orbs had widened in surprise, only to narrow again at the somewhat familiar, yet unfamiliar face opposite him. Karin let her gaze run up and down the strong body standing protectively over her, then rest on the long orange hair. It was a particular color she knew well as her own brother had the same, but his didn't have the white and brown streaks…

"I…" Aizen disengaged his blade from her savior's and jumped backwards, intense gaze on the expressionless features. "Ichi… Ichi-nii?" She gulped, and he frowned. This couldn't be Kurosaki Ichigo, he'd shown to be a disappointment, getting himself knocked out so easily by a mere Hollow, and was far too young anyway. "Is that you?"

Slowly, the man turned his head, and her shocked exclamation was echoed by Inoue, Chad and Ishida's. He then turned fully, revealing his entire face, and Byakuya frowned as he noticed the scarf. It was a garment only males from the Kuchiki clan were allowed to carry, and this man certainly wasn't from his family. Eyebrows rose as they noticed his strange outfit, but no one said anything as he extended a hand out to the girl kneeling on the ground.

"C'mon, Karin. You're in no shape to fight."

Helping her to her feet, he flash-stepped over to where Yoruichi was standing by Ukitake, Renji and Rukia, and left her to the Goddess of Flash.

"Take care of her, Yoruichi."

He started to walk back to Aizen, but stopped as Karin spoke again.

"Wait! Are you really Ichigo? How is it possible? Why are you dressed like a captain? And why do you look like this?"

He stared at her lengthily, silently, amber eyes sad as they roamed over her face sadly.

"I'll explain everything in time, Karin. But for now, I have a traitor to deal with."

"Wait!" Ukitake called out. "His Shikai…!"

"I know."

And without another word, he turned back to Aizen. "You should fall back a little."

There was another deafening silence as they obeyed, and Aizen and Ichigo stared at each other.

"Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Aizen Sôsuke." Ichigo sneered.

"I must admit I am surprised. I didn't expect you to show up separately."

"More like you thought I'd be the one in Karin's place."

"Indeed. You were always the most promising of the Kurosaki children."

"Guess everything can't always happen just like you scripted it, huh? The rules have changed, Aizen. I'm the puppeteer now. And you're just another piece on the chessboard. The_ black king_."

The brunet's eyes narrowed.

"How interesting. I never took you for the literate type."

"Shows how well you know me. Now. Before I kill you, I'm going to get rid of a giant _bug_."

Blood splattered on the ground. Tosen tried to talk, could only get out a few gurgles, then fell to the ground as he started to bleed to death. There was blood on Ichigo's blade. But he hadn't moved. He looked dispassionately at the bleeding soon-to-be corpse, then at Gin.

"Your plan won't work, Gin. You still have a future in Soul Society, but going with Aizen is just going to get you killed in the most horrific way. Matsumoto will fall to his blade as a way to make you pay for your treachery."

Icy blue eyes slid open an inch as the silver-haired captain's eternal grin fell of his face. And then, suddenly, he was by the orange-haired Commander's side, with an armful of crying Matsumoto.

"I understand now. Thanks."

Ichigo nodded curtly, never taking his eyes off Aizen's form. The man hadn't moved, just looking at the happenings, most likely trying to understand and improvise.

"Back to square one." Ichigo said calmly. "Once again, Aizen, it's just you and me. But this time, you won't escape."

The traitor stayed silent for a while, then smiled this disgusting, condescending smile of his.

"How cheeky, ryoka boy. However far you come from, you were born eons too late to ever come close to my power."

Ichigo smiled, shifting his feet slightly so that they were firmly planted on the ground in a ready position, knees slightly flexed.

"Yes? Then how do you explain the fact that you kept running from me whenever we happened to be on the same battlefield?"

"I am sure I had other things to do than deal with a mere human hybrid."

And just like that, they disappeared, clashed in a shower of sparks and reiatsu so intense Yamamoto wasted no time in putting up a Kido barrier to allow the lieutenants and lower-ranked soldiers to breathe.

"What's the meaning of this?" Soi Fon questioned more for herself than anyone else, watching the fighters' moves with narrowed eyes. As a Hohou specialist, she could appreciate the fine shunpo they were using, but couldn't for the life of her understand what was going on here apart from the fact that some stranger with the haori of the Captain-Commander had just saved the ryoka girl who claimed to be his sister, and started to fight with Aizen, who'd just turned out to be a traitor.

"Ma, ma, Soi Fon-chan… I was wondering that myself." Kyoraku sighed, scratching his head with a finger.

"He's from the future." Yoruichi whispered, but everyone heard her.

The outcry was unanimous.

"What?"

"It's the only logical explanation." Ishida nodded, pushing up his glasses with his middle finger. "Though Kurosaki's body looks eighteen, his soul looks far older, and more powerful. On top of that, he wields enormous power where I am sure I never felt as much from him before."

"He could have been suppressing it." Hitsugaya offered.

"He was. After he came back."

There was a pause.

"So now he's fighting Aizen, who isn't at the level he'll have some time from now." Isane said thoughtfully. "What horrors could have happened that he had to come back in time and do it all over again…?"

Karin opened her mouth to answer, but never got the chance to as suddenly, there was an explosion of red-rimmed black reiatsu which could only be Ichigo's, and the two men were back a few feet away from them. The white haori had changed to a crimson color, and the Zanpakutô to a long, black sword with a straight blade.

"Tensa Zangetsu."

Aizen looked at him and nodded.

"Impressive, ryoka-boy. But you seem to have forgotten something. While you are already in Bankai, I am still in sealed form. This proves how much more powerful I am compared to you. Once I release my Zanpakutô, there is nothing you can do." He smiled as he raised his Zanpakutô. "Look and bow down to my power, Kurosaki Ichigo. Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu."

The captains inhaled sharply even as Yoruichi and the ryoka group gave a cry of warning, but Ichigo merely stood there with a bored look on his face.

"Oh, god, he released his Zanpakutô. Should I start running?" He mused sarcastically.

They looked frantically around, puzzled by the sheer foolishness he was demonstrating, but Aizen was nowhere in sight, and Ichigo was still just standing there as if everything was just fine in the world. However had that boy managed to survive years of war with this kind of attitude?

"Ichigo! Behind you!"

He spun around lazily, a cocky smirk on his face, and took the hit head on. Aizen's eyes widened. Because his blade hadn't even managed to cut the fabric. Ichigo's smile widened into a maniacal grin as his hand came up to wrap around the traitor's neck and _squeezed_.

"You are powerful, Aizen Sôsuke, and I came to respect that power a long time ago. But…" he stuck Tensa Zangetsu into the ground at their feet, slowly lifting up the ex-captain. "I despise your methods. Cutting down your own allies once they're of no further use to you, destroying thousands upon thousands of lives, endangering the balance of the three worlds, restarting the feud between Shinigamis and Hollows all for the sake of fulfilling your goal… And for what?"

He paused, eyes suddenly turning sad. "Do you think being a god would ever appease your solitude? Do you think the fear and awe and hatred would make you feel better? Do you think power eases loneliness?" He sneered. "How foolish when your own loneliness comes from that power."

"You sound as if you know what you speak of, but no being has ever come close to me in terms of power. You know nothing, boy."

Even held by the throat, feet dangling off the ground, he still managed to look imposing and powerful. Ichigo's smile turned sad.

"You have learned nothing, Aizen. My power set me apart from the day I was born. I could see spirits, talk to them and touch them and in the end, it caused my family unspeakable grief. Then, I met Rukia, and as she lent me her power, I was thrown into a war I had nothing to do with, though I didn't care about that. With me I brought humans, humans who'd been contaminated by my power, and one by one we fell. Every day I gained more power to defeat you, and every day you eluded me, sending dozens of your minions to shield you while you just stood on the sidelines. You have no idea what true solitude is, to see your friends fall one after the other, to see your men trust you and die despite all your efforts to protect them, to see your mentors turn into shells of their former selves after losing their beloved, throwing themselves into battle and falling too, with a smile on their lips. You have no idea of the pain of losing your lover."

Karin's eyes widened at that, as did all the captains, and suddenly, the black scarf took on a whole new meaning. They stared at Byakuya, utterly stupefied, even as the man struggled to keep his composure. Aizen smiled.

"Oh, so the Kuchiki girl…?"

Renji shifted uneasily at that as Rukia's gaze met his. They'd known they had feelings for each other for a while, so what could have possibly brought them apart? Unless… Ichigo squeezed again, until Aizen was struggling to breathe.

"Don't be silly, Aizen." Was Ichigo's mere answer, calm, low, disdainful, _threatening_. "You may know solitude, but you have nearly no emotions. You're as good as dead. And once I finish with you, I assure you, you _will_ be." He paused, before suddenly, Tensa Zangetsu was stuck through the felon's chest and slowly twisting in an open display of cruelty which had Karin holding back tears. Her brother could never have done such a thing. It was unthinkable that he would willingly strike and torture a disarmed enemy, and she made to move…

"I, Kurosaki Ichigo, Captain-Commander of the Soul Society, hereby declare you, Aizen Sôsuke, guilty of the following crimes.

High treason, Hollowfication experiments on Rukongai souls, Hollowfication of captains Hirako Shinji, Ohtoribashi Rojuro, Aikawa Love, Ushoda Hachigen, Mugurama Kensei and vice-captains Yadomaru Lisa, Kuna Mashiro and Sarugaki Hiyori, attempted murder on the person of Hinamori Momo, Kuchiki Rukia and Hitsugaya Toshiro.

"You are found guilty of the murders of captains Yamamoto Genryûsai, Ukitake Jyûshiro, Kyoraku Shunsui and Soi Fon, and of Central 46.

"You are found guilty of the murders of ex-captains Hirako Shinji, Ohtoribashi Rojuro, Aikawa Love, Ichimaru Gin, Shihouin Yoruichi and Kurosaki Isshin, Espadas Neliel Tu Oterschwank, Grimmjow Jaggerjacques, Coyote Starrk, Tia Harribel and Ulquiorra Schiffer.

"You are found guilty of the murder of humans Inoue Orihime, Kurosaki Karin, Kurosaki Yuzu.

"Finally, you are found guilty of causing the uncontrolled Hollowfication of the sole heir to the Kuchiki Clan Kuchiki Rukia, along with the murder… of Clan Head Kuchiki Byakuya."

By the time he was finished, the atmosphere was so thick it could have been cut through with a butter knife. Everyone stared, displaying various degrees of shock, and tears were running down the faces of most of the women present, who had their hands clasped to their mouths in silent horror at the mere thought of the number of casualties, and what this boy –no, _man_ had seen in his young life.

"The penalty for each and every one of those crimes alone is death. However, considering the severity of your actions, further measures shall be taken." A few captains snuck a glance at Yamamoto, but he didn't move, just watching carefully as he listened to the procedure and let the future Captain-Commander deal with the threat none of them could apparently have ever dealt with.

Tan fingers wrapped around Kyoka Suigetsu even as they released Aizen, throwing him to the ground with a violence which dug a crater into the ground, before the now free hand closed over the hilt of the purple Zanpakutô. As if in answer, it started humming, reiatsu pulsing slowly around it, and they stared as he slowly drove the blade out of its sheath before holding it parallel to the ground.

"Whisper… Muramasa!"

Yamamoto and Byakuya's eyes widened in shock as a purple wave of reiatsu spread around the time-traveler like a tsunami, engulfing everything in a range of five miles, before another soft murmur caught their attention.

"_Bankai._"

When the dust dispelled, nothing had changed, except that there was another man standing there, clad all in white, with brown hair the exact same shade as the streaks in Ichigo's hair, and Yamamoto narrowed his eyes in contemplation, as he got a sneaking suspicion as to what could have been the cause of the white strands. And indeed he was proven right when the next time he spoke, the young man's voice sounded distorted, as if he were speaking at the same time as someone else, a terrifying edge to every word.

"Aizen Sôsuke. As punishment for your crimes, your Zanpakutô shall be destroyed, and your soul, annihilated. The sentence is to be carried out now."

To his credit, Aizen fought back. He even managed to unleash his Bankai, but it was to no avail as Ichigo seemed to be completely immune to whatever ability it possessed, and he made quick work of it by slashing him up so badly that he ended up bleeding on the ground, short two legs and his right arm.

Muramasa hadn't made a single move when the traitor had attacked, and seemed utterly indifferent to the stares burning holes into his back, courtesy of Ukitake, Kyoraku, Yamamoto and Byakuya. Unohana looked with much more delicacy and subtlety, and he chuckled to himself. Some things never changed: the woman had always been as cunning as a fox, and scary as hell when someone managed to piss her off.

Ichigo stood over the fallen god wannabe, and drew Tensa Zangetsu out of the ground right as Shiro appeared by his side, scaring quite a few people in their audience, if the cries of alarm he heard were anything to go by.

"Know this, Aizen Sôsuke. Though I used to be Captain-Commander, I didn't fight for Soul Society. I fought for my friends. But then, you came along, and threatened everything that I held dear. The people in Soul Society needed help to counter your mad plans, and so I answered present. So it shall be to the end of times, and so I shall make sure you never rise again."

A sly smile stretched on bloodied lips.

"How very… noble of you… boy."

"It's not noble. It's self-preservation." He smiled at his albino double. "Instinct."

And with that, all three spirits stood in a circle around the fallen traitor, Muramasa between Shiro and Ichigo, holding their hands, looking down at the Zanpakutô lying there on the ground. A white Tensa Zangetsu appeared in Shiro's free hand, and as Muramasa started to chant, all three reached out to hold their Zanpakutôs together, the tip pointed towards Aizen's body as purple reiatsu started humming in Muramasa's blade, the tip of which was directly held against Kyoka Suigetsu's blade.

"_The heart inside your soul, the strength inside your heart. The might inside your eyes, loneliness in power. Illusion of the moon, petals float on the lotus pool. Hear the water, heed my command. Your time comes to a close, listen to me. Your name is Kyoka Suigetsu!_"

Aizen convulsed. His Zanpakutô started glowing a dark shade of pink, and he _screamed_.

Karin clasped her hands over her ears, mimicked in that by Inoue, Nanao and Matsumoto, while Ishida cringed and the captains tensed. The traitor writhed on the ground while reiatsu slowly gathered at the tip of both Tensa Zangetsus, forming into a familiar spinning purple light…

"_Disappear!_"

Power, so much power in the command! They could all feel their Zanpakutô's fear at sensing and seeing the pure eradication of a Zanpakutô, and it continued to increase, step by step, as if climbing a ladder. When it felt like the pressure couldn't get any higher, suddenly, Shiro and Ichigo unleashed their Cero Oscuras on the prone form of the traitor, and once again, dust rose from the ground to engulf the scene and conceal the protagonists from sight.

o-O-o

_We did it._

He tilted his back as the first drops of rain started to fall, closing his eyes in bliss as he felt the tiny beads of water caress his face and slowly start to soak him wet. It was a glorious feeling, to be standing there on the Sokyoku Hill, the corpse of his enemy only a carcass charred beyond recognition at his feet, Zanpakutô reduced to a mere broken asauchi. All these years, the screams, the pain, the blood, the loss, the _emptiness_… It would never happen. It was over. They'd gone back to the beginning, and now Aizen had been defeated, and he hadn't even needed to go all out. It had been easy, so very easy to deal with him before he'd started to evolve, and after he, Ichigo, had had the chance to grow.

So easy…

It was almost as if all those years fighting had been for naught, as he'd erased them all in a single fight. His eyes slid open slowly, and he smiled up at the dark sky, the movement almost foreign to his muscles after all this time. Love and Rose could be together now, as could Rukia and Renji, Kisuke and Yoruichi, Karin and Toshiro, Gin and Matsumoto… So many couples had formed during the war, united in hardship and sorrow, before drowning in darkness as they fell one by one under Aizen's blade and the claws of his legions of Arrancars. Never again would he hear the screams of an agonized lover mourning the loss of his beloved, the throaty rails of the dying on the battlefield, the desperate wailing of some children pleading for their parent to get up and wake up and go hide somewhere safe and _be alive_.

Never again…

"**Aibou…"** He turned to meet Shiro's concerned eyes, only for his white double to raise a gentle hand to his face and softly brush away the wetness from his cheeks. **"You're cryin'." **

Zangetsu materialized beside them as he turned to Muramasa, who was standing as per usual right by Shiro's side, his clear eyes soft as he beheld his wielder's desperate joy and relief, the first tears he'd cried since his lover had died, years ago, and he'd been left alone with only a workaholic ex-shop-keeper as company. Byakuya had been there to the very end, always standing by his side, and it was only because Aizen had managed to separate them that he'd finally fallen at his blade. He'd even gone as far as to ask Urahara to Hollowfy him so as not to "slow Ichigo down" and be as reliable to him as the younger captain was to him. The Kuchiki elders would have disapproved, but by that time, they were all mostly dead in the same attack which had taken Rukia's life. And then…

"We did it."

He said it out loud this time, and they just looked at each other.

"It's over."

"_It is never over, Ichigo. There will always be a new enemy."_

"**Yah, but this one's down at last. We did it." **

"_**We did it."**_ Muramasa echoed, and there was in his words all the love, and respect and adoration of a man who'd finally found what he'd been waiting for his whole existence, whose soul was finally whole by resonating with another', who'd found the one person who could understand him. Ichigo had given him a second chance when he'd found him, broken and bloody and utterly useless both in body and mind, and welcomed him into the purest soul he'd ever known. He'd shown him how the relationship between a Shinigami and their Zanpakutô should be, and even further, what it _could_ be. He'd never considered himself particularly lucky throughout his long existence, but when the human hybrid had bonded with him, he'd discovered a whole new aspect of a Zanpakutô's existence that he had never even imagined.

It was beautiful, even more so considering that Ichigo already had two spirits to deal with and certainly had enough power not to need another one. But he hadn't suggested to bond with Muramasa out of greed or want for power. No. The Zanpakutô had been curious of course, and the bonding itself implied sharing memories, feelings and each participant's deepest secrets. Ichigo had done it solely out of a desire to help Muramasa. To help him. To protect him.

And though he hadn't been sure he could ever love a wielder as much as he had his original master, he'd found as days passed, drowned in blood, death and darkness, that he'd come to love this young man more than he'd ever loved Koga. And he couldn't even find it in himself to feel the tiniest bit of regret about it.

He loved Ichigo, Shiro and Zangetsu, the brightness of their shared soul, the one they'd opened to him with its share of darkness and faults and _humanity_ but strength, so much strength it was hardly believable.

And so, as they stood in the rain and Ichigo smiled, Shiro's grin grew wider without a hint of his usual maniacal edge and Zangetsu's lips stretched into a smile full of content, he took one step closer to them and clasped their gathered hands within his own pale fingers.

"_**Together."**_

o-O-o

She could hardly believe it. Ichigo, her big brother who hadn't shed a single tear ever since their mother's death, was crying. Tears of joy, relief and despair all mixed up, emotions bottled up for far too long, years before finally getting out in a quiet stream of salty beads mixing with the rain and wiped away by a creature supposed to be completely insane and going on a rampage as soon as it was given a little leeway. A Hollow, if the color of its eyes and Yoruichi's words were anything to go by. An inner Hollow. She hadn't even known it was possible, but apparently it was, and she could only wonder what had happened in the future for her brother to become the man standing a few feet from them now.

o-O-o

Okay, so the kid, who was supposed to not be involved in Shinigami business turned out to be a powerhouse come from back from the future to obliterate Aizen after losing everything he loved to the traitor's schemes. Not only that, but he was also a Vizard, with an inner Hollow which actually materialized without going berserk and showed actual concern for him.

_Concern!_

That was it. The world was surely ending.

She shot a glance up at the crying skies, then shook her head. Nope, it wasn't.

And she was still confused. She sighed. Kisuke better have an explanation for this one or she was going to claw his balls out.

o-O-o

He stared at the strong figure of the man who'd once saved him from thugs and promised to fight for his cause and have his back. He looked much more powerful, had proven it even, and different. The Ichigo he knew would never just _destroy_ a man like he just had. It was an amazing display of power, given that the traitor had just stopped Karin's Bankai with a simple finger, and scary as hell. Beside him, Ishida twitched in aggravation. The Quincy must be annoyed that his classmate, who he hadn't even known to be a Shinigami, had actually showed how wide a gap between them there was.

o-O-o

Well, that week had turned out to be full of surprises. First the ryoka invasion, then Aizen's 'death', resurrection and treason, a time-traveler's arrival who ended up wielding a Zanpakutô deemed dangerous after the Kuchiki Kôga fiasco, and wearing a Captain-Commander's cloak over decidedly human combat clothes as if it were an everyday occurrence. He guessed it was.

He glanced at his white-haired friend, who looked sorrowfully at the young man silently celebrating his mournful victory with the spirits of his power. Of course, Jyûshiro would grieve for all the stranger, who knew them even though they had never seen him before in their lives, had lost. Because he was as acutely aware as he himself and all the others were, that everything he'd suffered, he'd suffered for their sake.

And wasn't it terrifying to know that they'd condemned a kid of eighteen years of age to a life of fighting and bloodshed without even meaning to.

o-O-o

Never before had he seen this. A human, born of a Shinigami, wielding the power of an inner Hollow and two Zanpakutôs, one of which had belonged to another before. It was unheard of, without precedent, worth of awe and yet strangely scary. It was a threat of unseen magnitude, and unbelievable potential.

But he had seen a lot over the long two thousand years of his existence, and he knew to read the heart of men. This one only fought to protect and would only attack if provoked. He was as sincere as could be, his drive obvious for anyone to see, his grief hidden yet in un plain sight, his strength for protecting only.

He was a great warrior, and a man of honor.

Yamamoto Genryûsai came to a decision.

* * *

**Yeah, so... sorry for those who were waiting for an epic battle scene or something... I really hate writing those, hope this wasn't too disappointing. Some of you might think that Ichigo defeated Aizen too easily: I tried to make it clear in the chapter that Ichigo is from ten years in the future. Considering his ridiculous growth rate, then you can only imagine how powerful he would have grown, while Aizen would still be at his level from before he got the Hogyoku. That makes for a huge difference, and then, with Muramasa... **

**Speaking of which! I tried to make his identity a secret, but apparently, it was a spectacular failure^^! Then again, seeing how I described him in detail... *facepalms* Silly me. Anyway, I love Muramasa, and I hate that they killed him in the anime, so I often try to find ways to get him back into the show^^!  
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**Hope you liked this! Please review?  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorrowful Tears of the Moon  
**By Tango Dancer

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**Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! I'm so glad you all like this! Hope this chapter doesn't disappoint, I confess I didn't proofread myself -I think, so if you see language/spelling/grammar monstrosities, don't hesitate and tell me! **

**Mmm, I saw that ff . net started an image manager, but... can we use pictures from the web in this? Deviantart, desktopnexus, that kind of thing? Or do we have to write the author first? Cause that would be a real pain in the a**!  
**

**Also, I will post the infamous petition at the end of this chapter, I got sick and tired of all the 'fake' alert messages, and so decided not to do this to you and just paste it at the end of my chapters so that everyone would be happy.  
**

**I also started a LJ account just in case my stories were deleted, the link is on my profile. I will be posting everything there progressively, starting with the oneshots before moving on to the WIPs via my complete stories.  
**

**And now, on to the story! Enjoy!**

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Chapter 03:

**Captain-Commander's office, 1****st**** Division Barracks, Soul Society. **

Yamamoto looked at the young man seated across from him. Amber eyes stared back calmly, showing no sign that he was affected by the old man's reiatsu. The Captain-Commander could see a proof of his power there, as most Shinigami were unable to look him in the eye without going into shock. They sat there for a long time, never turning away from one another, occasionally taking a sip of the tea which their reiatsu kept warm for them. There was only calm in the younger man's posture, his muscles completely relaxed as if he believed that Yamamoto would never do anything to harm him. Had they grown so close in the future? Had someone uttered such a ludicrous idea a few days –a few hours, even– earlier, Yamamoto would have sent them scramming with a mere pulse of his reiatsu and a glare, but now…

He sighed and put his cup of tea down, Ichigo following his lead and looking up at once.

"What happened?"

"Aizen escaped through a Negación beam with Tôsen and Ichimaru. He stayed put for a few months, building up his army of Arrancars. The top ten were called the Espada, and held unbelievable power. After a while, the Research and Development Bureau deduced that he was trying to create the Ouken, and so a team was sent to protect Karakura Town. It wasn't enough in the end. The war escalated, and we had to seal off the Living World to prevent the fighting from spreading down there." He paused. "Things were going pretty well for us, actually, until he managed to create an Arrancar, Wonderweiss Margera, whose sole use was to negate your power. You were killed by a mere Numero."

There wasn't the slightest hint of malice or mockery in his eyes, just a deep sadness and regret. Yamamoto frowned slightly in thought: did the boy feel guilty? It made no sense, he most likely had other things to deal with at the time, and the mere idea that he'd even been involved with their war while still alive was…

"It all went downhill from there. I was elected Captain-Commander, but for every enemy we fell, two more appeared, even more powerful than the last. He used the time we were fighting to experiment with Hollows and Shinigami prisoners, and let whatever he'd managed to create loose as soon as he deemed it bloodthirsty enough. It was a massacre."

His hands lay on his lap, a perfect picture of composure, though there were far too white to be natural.

"In the end, we set up an assassination. Shihouin Yoruichi, Soi Fon, Yadomaru Lisa and Mugurama Kensei were the ones chosen to infiltrate Las Noches and kill Aizen. We got them back in pieces."

Yamamoto's eyes widened slightly. The best assassins the Soul Society had ever seen had been destroyed so easily? How was that possible? And what exactly was the part of the exiled captain and lieutenant in all this?

"By then, most of the captains were dead, and the Soul Society was reduced to a bloody field of ruins. Hollows were running rampant all around Rukongai, and we had gathered the survivors of the districts in Seireitei to protect some protection, but it didn't last long. They managed to break the barrier and get inside, and that's when Urahara Kisuke sent me back."

Short, and concise. Yamamoto nodded to himself. This was military. This was experienced. This was the attitude of a true commander. He could see how attached to his friends the younger man had been, but there had been no trace of that in his narration, which had been more of a report than anything else.

"What of Ichimaru Gin?"

Ichigo pursed his lips. "Ichimaru was a double agent, though nobody knew of this. He had known of Aizen's plans for a very long time, before he even entered the Academy, and had planned accordingly. By getting close to the traitor, he would learn his weakness, and so he did, except that when he turned against him, Aizen had become too powerful and destroyed him."

His eyes darkened to an almost black as he said that, and Yamamoto had no doubt that he'd been there to pick up whatever pieces had been left after that. Not wanting to linger on those sad considerations, he changed subjects.

"What was the part of the exiles in all this?"

Kurosaki was blunt.

"Urahara Kisuke was wrongly exiled. The Hollowfication was the product of Aizen's schemes, and Urahara tried to save them and was framed. Though they didn't go back to normal, the group developed an inner Hollow just like I did, and became what we know as the Vizards. The antithesis to Arrancars."

"And what about your second Zanpakutô?"

He tensed slightly, fingers twitching as if he longed to reach for Muramasa, but controlled himself expertly.

"Muramasa chose to bond with me. Kuchiki Kôga was unable to hear him and understand the true nature of the relationship between Shinigami and Zanpakutô, and Muramasa could hear me."

"Did you ask him to lend you his power?"

"No. I will, however, protect him from any and all threats. He is as much part of my soul as Shiro and Zangetsu now."

Both Zanpakutôs hummed gently before settling down, and Yamamoto watched attentively as the young man lay a soothing hand on both blades, eyes softening as he looked at them. Such a deep relationship, it was extraordinary. Slowly, he nodded.

"If no trouble is to be expected from him, then no action will be taken."

Ichigo dipped his chin in thanks. "Thank you."

"Now. What do you intend to do?"

The young man remained silent for a bit, before reaching up and slowly taking off his haori to fold it and lay it gently on the table between them. "It was once yours and in a time where you still live and rule, I have no right to wear it."

It pained him, though. That much was obvious, though he tried to conceal it behind a carefully blank mask.

"Does that mean you will go back to your life in the Living World?"

Ichigo hesitated briefly.

"I doubt I could even if I wanted to."

"I see." And truly, he did. He knew firsthand the damage a war could create on one's psyche, and how too much reiatsu could destroy the body. Kurosaki Ichigo, from the day he had entered this war, had lost any and all chances to live a normal life, for either he would die in battle, or be plagued by nightmares of blood and death for the rest of his life.

"The Gotei 13 has lost two captains today, and disaster has been avoided thanks to you and you only. I would like you to consider taking over Aizen Sôsuke's division as captain."

He didn't explain that the young man would be his successor when his time came to step down. It was hanging unspoken in the air between them, and though there was the slightest hint of relief in the hybrid's eyes, he didn't know whether to attribute it to his future position or the fact that he would be allowed to stay in the Soul Society.

"I will gladly accept if your captains agree to it. I also would like it if a special subdivision were created."

"For people like you."

"People like me. And some Arrancars."

Yamamoto paused. There had been strange, foreign names in the list of people Aizen had murdered in the future, could those have been allies from the other side?

"They do not know you in this time."

"But I killed their leader. I will deal with Hueco Mundo." Ichigo stated quietly. "It will be no issue."

A pause, then the Captain-Commander nodded.

"Very well. I shall call a captain's meeting immediately, and send a Hell Butterfly once we have come to a decision. Where will you reside?"

"A cave under Sokyoku Hill."

They parted ways with a slight bow on either part, and as he watched the soon-to-be fifth captain's tall frame step out, Yamamoto felt the full brunt of his two-thousand years of existence weigh down on him more heavily than ever.

o-O-o

**Sokyoku Hill, Soul Society. **

It took only a couple of minutes to reach the cave under Sokyoku Hill, and with a quick check that he was alone, he took off his clothes and slipped into the soothing water of the hot springs, closing his eyes as they eased his tense muscles. He didn't need to open his eyes to know that Shiro, Zangetsu and Muramasa had materialized and were currently enjoying the bath just as much as he was. They all stayed silent. They didn't need words to communicate, and right now, they were all just trying to wrap their mind around a single thought.

_It's over._

And really, it was. What they'd fought so many years to achieve, the end they'd almost given up on ever seeing, the death that would mark the start of a new life. But now, now that they'd done it, now that they'd saved everyone and everything, they found themselves feelings disoriented and almost bored, yet still on edge, fearful that it would all crumble away to reveal one of Aizen's intricate illusions which he would have, by some wretched method, would have managed to trap them in.

It was over, and now they didn't have a purpose, they didn't have a use, they were… lost.

Yet they were not.

They were in familiar territory, surrounded by familiar faces, familiar reiatsu and Zanpakutôs. But now they had a future, and those people didn't know him anymore. They weren't the ones he'd gone to war with, the ones he'd fought and bled alongside, the ones he'd seen hurt and mighty and dying and strong with the resolve to win which had pushed them forward till the very end. He had known, when he'd decided to put Karin in his place, that he wouldn't forge the same bonds he had in his past, and he'd accepted it as a necessary sacrifice, but it didn't make the sting, the hurt disappear, because they had been his comrades, and they had shared much together, and now, in the blink of an eye and two ridiculous months, it was all _gone_.

Years of hardship and comradeship vanished as if they'd never existed, remembered only by him. He scrunched his eyes tighter as the thought tried to weasel its way into his mind that his love was gone as well, back to his emotionless state, back to when he didn't know him and still considered him an annoying ant, except that now, it was _Karin_ who'd opened his eyes about Rukia and maybe, just maybe, he would fall in love with _her_ instead of never falling in love with him, and wasn't it so very selfish and horrible of him to wish that Byakuya never found love again rather than falling for someone else?

He had his family.

But they wouldn't understand. His father had been a Shinigami, powerful and renowned to the point that he'd been invited to become part of the Royal Guard but had declined, but that didn't mean that he'd gone through what Ichigo had in his mere twenty-eight years of life. Twenty-eight years, and still, he often got the feeling that he had lived centuries, which was actually possible given the amount of time he'd spent fighting in Hueco Mundo, where time passed five times faster than in Soul Society or the World of the Living.

Karin had just made her first steps in this world of death gods and Hollows and hybrids, and didn't know what, to him, was actually the basics. She was still weak, a baby in Shinigami terms, and still very much innocent, gazing at this world with innocence and the blazing flame of resolve which had once been his. War had taught him calm and patience, though, and so he'd become quieter, stealthier, the ultimate assassin and a fearsome warrior, bright and burning when in the heat of battle, giving hope to the troops relying on him to lead them to victory, subtle and slinking in the shadows when on reconnaissance or assassination missions.

Once before, his lover had observed that over the years, his growth had been surprising, and that it was now symbolized by the three spirits residing in his mindscape. All three utterly different from one another, but still so very alike and compatible. He was Shirosaki's mighty power, Zangetsu's quiet resolve, and Muramasa's calculating mind.

He had them.

They were the only ones he needed, he thought as he slid his eyes open lazily to gaze at them, only to find them all looking at him silently. Slowly, a small smile made its way on his lips, the motion foreign after years of grief and strife. As long as he had them, everything would be okay. And with that thought in mind, he drifted off to sleep, secure in the knowledge that he would wake at the slightest hint of a threat.

o-O-o

**Urahara Shop, Karakura Town. **

"Isshin, wake up."

"Uh, wha-?"

Brown eyes glazed over with sleep met uncharacteristically serious grey eyes, and instantly, the former captain was up and alert, looking around to find the source of his friend's tense demeanor… only to pause as he noticed the Shinigami –two of them– standing a few feet away. He examined them carefully, noting the spiky white hair and serious teal eyes, and the deep grey eyes shadowed by a straw hat. Immediately, he was on his feet, hand hovering over the pocket where his mod-soul resided, ready to defend his friend and his life here in the World of the Living.

"Urahara Kisuke. Evidence has come forth of your innocence regarding the matters for which you were exiled. Consequently, the sentence has been revoked, effective as of now, and the same is applicable to the group known as Vizards. Please pass on the information that they are welcome back in Soul Society if they desire to come back." The small captain said stiffly.

Isshin raised an eyebrow at his friend, who'd just about dropped his precious fan in astonishment.

"What?" He whispered.

"That kid, Ichigo…" Kyoraku spoke, looking up at Isshin from under his hat. "He's your boy, isn't he?"

He could only nod, too stunned to talk. Kyoraku sighed, tugging the hem of his hat lower over his face.

"I don't know what happened to him, but it wasn't good. At least he managed to clear all of your names."

Isshin dropped his gaze.

"Why aren't they back?"

The lazy captain chuckled. "Your daughter and her friends got beaten up pretty badly, so they're still in the fourth division, and your son had a talk with Yama-jii before he disappeared."

Both ex-captains perked up at that. A private talk with the Captain-Commander? What about? He wasn't in trouble, was he?

"Yama-jii offered him the position of captain of the fifth division. He accepted."

"Right off the bat?"

Kyoraku must have felt the hurt Isshin was trying –badly– to conceal, and shook his head.

"He said he wanted the captains to agree first. But he doesn't have his place in the World of the Living anymore, Isshin. Surely you have noticed that. Unless… you didn't know?"

Urahara stepped forward.

"We did know he was from the future, but he only stayed with us a few days. It was enough" he shot a glance at his friend "to notice that he is… different, though."

They fell silent for a while, before Hitsugaya spoke again.

"Well, I will be going back. If you wish to come along…"

Isshin looked torn, but eventually shook his head with a sigh.

"I can't leave Yuzu alone. She'd go mad with worry. You go, Kisuke, and send news a soon as possible."

Nodding, Urahara told Tessai the good news and that he was going to settle a few matters with the Captain-Commander, then disappeared into the Senkaimon, which closed as Kyoraku's pink haori fluttered through.

o-O-o

**Soul Society, Sokyoku Hill. **

He'd barely had the time to set one foot on Soul Society soil that he was tackled by a purple blur.

"Kisuke!"

"Yoruichi-san! What's the matter?" He asked quickly as he saw her wide golden eyes. She reared back instantly, cheeks darkening slightly, before clearing her throat. He smirked, making her blush deepen, much to his delight. Turning away, she coughed slightly.

"No matter. How is it, being back after all this time?"

He didn't answer immediately, eyes not leaving her lean form as he let himself be overwhelmed by the nostalgic feeling of spirit particles flowing all around him with an ease the World of the Living could never hope to achieve.

"It's… good." He murmured at last, and saw her eyes fill with understanding as she turned back to him. "Very good."

She smiled at him, very softly, and he couldn't help but smile back, a small upturn of the lips which was nothing like his usual stupid grins of wicked smirks, but a real smile, full of sincerity, warmth and affection, and Yoruichi couldn't help but feel her heart skip a beat at the sight. How long had it been since Kisuke hadn't smiled like that? How long since there had been any real happiness in their lives? They had given Soul Society their all, and Soul Society had cast them aside as if they were mere tools once something had gone wrong. But here they were again, once more free and clear of all charges, and it was all thanks to a lone time-traveler who had accepted to lose everything he once had for the sake of his loved ones.

"Where is he?" He asked at last.

She pointed at the ground under their feet, and he nodded, disappearing in a flash of Shunpo, while she followed silently. A few seconds later, they were standing at the entrance of the cave, but there was no one in sight.

"The hot springs." Yoruichi said quietly, and so they went to the far corner of the cave, behind a cluster of rocks, where they found an unexpected sight: the young man had fallen asleep in the warm waters, and with him were who could only be his Zanpakutô and Hollow spirits. It was strange, to see them all so relaxed and quiet, so very motionless, so very much so that were it not for the regular rising of their chests, they would have feared for their lives.

Ichigo's face was tight even in sleep. He would have looked slightly younger had his body not been a war veteran's, all covered in scars which spoke of harsh battles and rivers of spilt blood. There was a circular scar right over his heart, and they could only wonder what had happened, who had done it, how he was still alive.

Who, what, when, how? But the only one who held answers was the man asleep before them, and they couldn't muster the courage to wake him up, as he had deserved his rest. And so they left silently and went to meet the Captain-Commander.

o-O-o

Karin, Ishida, Chad and Inoue were sitting in Karin's room in the eleventh division barracks. The black-haired girl had been completely healed thanks to Inoue's talents, and they'd been invited by Zaraki to sleep over in his barracks so that he would have a sparring partner close by –though Karin always made sure he was far, far away before she ever came out of her room, and heavily relied on Ishida to tell her how safe she was. Though he kept mocking her for her abysmal reiatsu-sensing skills, the dark-haired Quincy obliged every time, and she suspected that he actually had a great time having her asking him a favor time and again, and seeing scared to the point of sneaking around to avoid a man she'd _already beaten_.

Damn Quincy and his dry wit.

There was a knock on the door, and she instantly hid in the cupboard, fearing it might be Kenpachi, though now that she thought about it, he most likely would have beaten her up first, knocked later. And, the door –along with a good portion of the wall, she was sure– would be lying in pieces on the floor.

"What is it?" Ishida asked calmly.

"Forgive me for disturbing you, Ishida-san, but the Captain-Commander has called for a meeting, and your presence is required."

The Quincy nodded at the Shinigami, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose with one slender finger.

"Very well, we will be there shortly."

The door slid shut, and he turned to the cupboard with a sigh. "This is getting ridiculous, Kurosaki. Hone your reiatsu-sensing skills instead of jumping at the smallest noise!"

She poked her head out of her hideout and cautiously surveyed the room before jumping onto the floor lightly.

"Sure, Ishida. It's obvious it's not _you_ who has a crazy lunatic thirsting for your blood running around to beat you to a bloody pulp every single minute of the day!"

He rolled his eyes at that. "You know perfectly well that if Captain Zaraki really wanted to fight you, he'd have knocked the door down a long time ago. It's still whole and standing, though, so I don't see why you still act as though he was going to kill you. You _did_ defeat him, after all, or was it all a fluke?"

She flushed in anger at that, and straightened up, fists on her hips as she tried to tower over him, which wasn't easy considering that he was far taller than her. He smirked at the failed attempt at intimidation, and she felt a vein tick on her forehead as she opened her mouth to yell at him…

"Karin-chan, Ishida-kun… We're going to be late…"

The Quincy turned to the healer, cheeks tinted a lovely shade of pink, pushing up his glasses again, and cleared his throat at Karin's feral smirk, turning away from her in what was obviously supposed to be a dignified way, but ended up looking more like a hasty retreat. Inoue watched on curiously, oblivious as always.

"Of course, Inoue-san. Let's go."

In a flash, he was out the door, Chad on his heels. Inoue followed at a more sedate pace, looking confusedly between Karin and Ishida, but eventually dismissed the issue as only she could, before leaving the room. Left alone, the Substitute Shinigami's smirked widened.

"You're so whipped, Ishida-kun…" she said in a sing-song voice.

A few feet away, the Quincy felt a chill run down his spine, and wondered what the cause of this sudden feeling of upcoming doom was.

o-O-o

**Meeting Hall, Soul Society. **

"What are you doing here, Goat-face?"

Ishida sweat-dropped at Karin's reaction to seeing her father in a shinigami uniform, Zanpakutô and all, with a folded haori slung over his shoulder and an idiotic grin on his face. "Shouldn't you be looking after Yuzu?"

"Aw, Karin-chan, so mean! Your sister decided to stay at a friend's for the night." And then, just as suddenly as the seriousness had come, it was gone, and the man was flying towards her with his arms wide open. "My darling daughter, how beautiful power makes you! Your daddy is so proud!"

He was instantly met with a foot to the face, and sent careening into a wall.

"Shut the hell up, moron!"

And then, out of nowhere, the man whipped out a pocket-sized picture of Masaki and started bawling his eyes out over how mean his daughter had become. Karin merely rolled her eyes and ignored his tantrum, along with the puzzled or annoyed looks from the captains who were slowly trickling in.

"Anyway, what are you doing here?"

But just as he opened his mouth to answer, brown eyes too serious for this to be good, setting her on edge, Yamamoto called the meeting to order, and the ryoka group took their place near the end of the room. It was amazing, how a simple bang of his staff on the floor was enough to silence a hall full with the most powerful individuals in the Soul Society.

The old man started discussing unimportant matters, and Karin soon found herself tuning himself off, wondering why they had even been summoned for this meeting if nothing that concerned them was to be discussed. She soon had her answer, though, as what seemed like hours after the beginning of this useless reunion, the doors opened to let her brother through, tall frame full of predatory elegance as he walked soundlessly towards the Captain-Commander and nodded at him.

"Sorry I'm late."

Yamamoto merely nodded at him, before turning to his lieutenant, who stepped forward, holding a white cloth carefully folded in his arms.

"Kurosaki Ichigo. With the agreement of the captains of the Soul Society, the Gotei Thirteen is honored to offer you the position of Captain of the Fifth Division."

Karin watched with in disbelief as her brother, amber gaze calm and face blanked, answered calmly.

"I accept the position and endeavor to serve the division to my best."

Briefly, she had the image of those cop movies where the motto written on the American cops' cars was 'to protect and to serve'. Her brother had just accepted a leading position where he would be the one in power, and yet, he vowed to serve and nothing else. He had been sober, but they could all hear the unspoken promise in his voice, and his acts had spoken for him anyway. Who would come back in time and renounce everything they'd ever had only to destroy the very thing they'd given up everything to save? This man was ready to fight to the last for them, even though they didn't know anymore, didn't know him yet, and it was mind-numbing to think of the depth of his loyalty and the possible bonds they might have forged in his time for him to willingly risk so much for their sake.

Mind-numbing, dazzling, unbelievable.

And yet so very, blindingly true.

"Accept this haori as a symbol of your new function."

Sasakibe stepped forward, slowly unfolding the cloth, and draped it over the other man's strong but lean shoulders, and they all noticed that the haori was cut in the exact same way the one he'd been wearing when he'd defeated Aizen had been, showing how far Yamamoto had gone to make him feel at home. The young man obviously noticed, for he dipped his chin in thanks to the old man, before letting out the traditional pulse of reiatsu as a token that there was a new captain in Seireitei, thus showing how deeply he knew the procedure, definitively sealing their belief in his tale.

"Welcome to the Gotei 13." Yamamoto said strongly, before adding with a gesture of his hand. "Stand with your fellow captains, Captain Kurosaki."

He did. And so a new page of history started, ready to be written anew.

o-O-o

"Why did you do this?"

They were in the Thirteenth barracks, where Ukitake had kindly offered they discuss and have a family reunion away from prying ears. Karin and Isshin were seated across from Ichigo, who was kneeling in a very formal position, fists on his thighs and back straight, completely unfazed by his sister's anger.

"I don't belong with you anymore, Karin."

"Of course you do." She countered fiercely, eyes blazing. "Always have, always will."

He shook his head gently.

"No, Karin. The things I've seen, the things I've done… You have no idea. I came back in time for a reason. We were desperate, allies were falling left and right, people dying wherever you looked. We had lost all. _I_ lost everything."

"But you've got us back now!" She exclaimed uncomprehendingly.

"Yes." He smiled, gently, sadly, and it was enough to knock the breath out of her as if she'd been punched in the gut by Zaraki at full force. "And now you have a chance to live a normal life. This time, I have the power to protect you, to protect Karakura and the three worlds. But I can't go back to my old life."

"Why not?"

She didn't understand. She couldn't understand. She didn't _want_ to understand, and she absolutely hated the look of near-pity in her brother's amber eyes, which were not the warm chocolate colour she had known and loved all her life, another proof that he wasn't the boy in his late teenage years he should have been. She hated that too.

"Inoue, Ishida, Chad… They were my comrades the first time around. I gave them my power, and they followed me, and together, we became a strong team. But it was only through the horrors of war, and they ended up dead."

"The power comes from you now too." She objected, but already, she could feel dread twisting in her gut as she saw where he was going with this.

"But they're your comrades now, not mine. They don't know me like they do you."

She scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous, Ichi-nii. They've been friends with you for years."

"Chad, maybe. But not Inoue. Nor Ishida. In my time, we grew closer saving each other's lives countless times. Hopefully, it won't happen this time around, but we already know if it does, it won't be because of Aizen's schemes." He paused, then continued in a very soft voice. "I am twenty-eight, Karin, not eighteen, and though I can't by any means be considered old, especially by Soul Society standards, I still feel very much centuries old. I have no place in the Living World. I have no place with your friends. Mine are dead, yours are not, and have yet to grow as wise and powerful as mine were. I gave you time, Karin. I gave you time to grow and live and enjoy a somewhat normal life. Please don't waste this chance."

She fell silent, bowing her head and blinking furiously to stop the angry tears from coming. This was so unfair! She had just lost her brother, who'd lost everything himself! He'd handed over everything to her, and why? Because some mad man had decided to rule the world. She cursed Aizen with all her might, hoping that if there remained anything of his being somewhere, then it was suffering an eternity worth of tremendous pain for everything he'd inflicted upon her brother.

"I'm so sorry…" She whispered as the first tear fell on the back of her clenched fist, and she frantically tried to stop herself, but it was too late, and suddenly, she was engulfed in the strong arms of her brother and burying her face in his toned chest, inhaling deeply to engrave his scent in her mind, and closing her eyes to always remember the feel of his embrace, how safe she felt held tightly against his chest, hearing his strong heartbeat pulsing under her ear, feeling the warmth of his body wrap all around her and his reiatsu gently reach out to her in comforting tendrils. Clenching her fingers on his clothes, she wished everything was different and none of this had happened, but knew it was not to be.

Ichigo had sacrificed himself to save them all, and he had managed, at the cost of everything he held dear. The least she could do, she mused as sleep slowly overtook her trembling form, was to be strong for him. But for now, just for now, she would allow herself to relish into the embrace of her beloved elder brother.

As Karin's sobs slowly subsided and she drifted off to sleep, Ichigo looked up and at his father, who hadn't moved a muscle and just sat there, watching his children and carefully listening to the confrontation. Sorrowful brown met smoldering amber, and a silent message passed between them as Isshin nodded, stood up and left with a gentle squeeze of his son's shoulder. He grimaced to himself as, apart from muscle, he could feel only bone under the skin.

o-O-o

**Fifth Division Barracks, Soul Society. **

**Three days after Aizen's death. **

The silence in the fifth division barracks was deafening. All division members were standing in the courtyard, ready to snap at attention at the slightest whisper that the new captain was there. The atmosphere was thick with tension and nervousness, and had been ever since the previous evening, when they'd heard the man who'd defeated their traitorous lead would come to meet them in the morning. Everyone had been running around to make sure things were perfect since the announcement, while trying to reassure themselves that the guy wouldn't hold them responsible for Aizen's treason and everything he'd lost, because frankly, had they been in his shoes, anything and everything remotely related to the man would have been destroyed on sight.

How they knew who he was and what he'd gone through? The answer held in a mere two words: Matsumoto Rangiku. Three more words –Shinigami Women's Association–, and there you had it, the rumour mill was buzzing like an overworked hive. Kurosaki Ichigo, elder brother of ryoka Kurosaki Karin, defeater of traitor Aizen Sôsuke and time-traveler. The tale seemed quite farfetched and many refused to believe it, scoffing at the gossipmongers and telling them to stop kidding themselves. There was no way nice, attentive captain Aizen could have hurt a fly, let alone betrayed anyone, and those who said otherwise were fools trying to cover up for a murderer. A murderer with unbelievable power, yes, but a murderer still.

And so the division –and most of Seireitei– was divided in two sides, those who believed in the story, and those who didn't. The fifth division, though, was the only one who got away with it, as the captains were quick to reign in their own men with a glare here and there and a few well-placed threats, but with its captain dead and its lieutenant still in a coma, the fifth division members had no such person to discipline them.

They were so absorbed in their discussions that they didn't even notice when a stranger soundlessly appeared in the middle of the courtyard, white haori tied to his waist with a blood red obi in the same fashion as Onmitsukidô captain Soi Fon, Zanpakutôs carefully sheathed on his back. He just stood there for a while, looking around and at the men, taking note of those who hadn't noticed him and those who straightened up upon his arrival, nodding in approval at those who'd been quiet and alert even before he'd come in. They made to bow, but he dismissed the greeting with a mere gesture of his hand, shocking them to the core, smirking as he saw their surprise.

Finally, he seemed to have had enough and let out a strong pulse of reiatsu which instantly shut everyone up and snap to attention. He let his gaze sweep over them once more, carefully memorizing their faces and those who seemed hostile, before he started to talk.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, new fifth division captain. Whether you believe it or not, I'm from the future and I killed Aizen, who was a traitor and stabbed your lieutenant. If you think I'm a fake and a murderer, nothing is stopping you from transferring divisions, but be warned now that the other captains and Captain-Commander Yamamoto himself have heard and believe what I just told you." He paused. "Now, I don't know how Aizen led you, and I don't care. If you're going to work under me, then you should know a few things. One, I don't tolerate incompetence. Two, I don't tolerate insubordination. The way I see it, officers are officers because they know better than you. Consequently, there will be a tournament to determine ranks in the upcoming weeks. Three, I don't tolerate weakness. If you're weak, train and become strong, that's all there is to it. Four, if you have a problem with me, speak now or stay silent forever. We clear? Good. Objections?"

No one spoke. He nodded to himself.

"Excellent. Now all of you except the third seat, scram."

He smirked as they all scattered like a flock of scared pigeons, then turned to the officer, who looked a bit pale but bravely stood his ground when he stepped closer. He liked that one, seemed to have guts.

o-O-o

**Sokyoku Hill, Soul Society. **

**Four days after Aizen's death. **

The Senkaimon opened, sending a pillar of blue spiritual pressure swirling into the sky, and the captains watched as the ryoka group said their goodbyes to the friends they'd made here, namely Rukia, who'd decided to stay, Renji, Ikkaku and Yumichika, Hanatarou, Shiba Ganju and his sister, and Zaraki, who claimed that next time they came over, Karin _had_ to fight him. How that was supposed to motivate her into coming back soon, they didn't know, but they figured it didn't really matter anyway. With her brother as a captain, Kurosaki Karin was sure to come back at least a few times a year to check up on him.

Said captain was standing there too, hair fluttering gently in the morning breeze, his face unreadable as he watched them all go. He shook hands with Chad, nodded at Ishida, Inoue and Yoruichi, then made to turn to his sister, but she didn't even leave him enough time to speak, as she blurred into his arms and hugged him tightly. If the surprise flickering across his features for a split second was anything to go by, it had been a very long time since he hadn't really been embraced like that, and he seemed to hesitate for a second, before he slowly hugged her back, running a soothing hand through her black hair and murmuring in her ear which had her nodding tearfully.

When they parted, though, her eyes were dry, and she had a smirk on her face.

"Let's fight next time we see each other, Ichi-nii. I wanna see how strong you've become."

He smirked back, eyes burning with challenge.

"I'd love to see you try, squirt. I'll defeat you so fast your head will spin!"

"Right back at you!" She shouted, before running into the Senkaimon and disappearing into its light. Only Isshin remained now, and his eyes were determined when Ichigo's met his.

"I'll look after them. I swear it."

"You'd better, or I'll kill you."

Isshin merely gave a two-fingered salute, and it looked like he was going to leave it at that, when suddenly, he burst into tears and started babbling at his pocket-sized portrait of Masaki.

'Oh God, someone kick his ass for me.'

"**Righ' away, **_**Aibou!**_**" **And just like that, Shiro materialized and kicked Isshin's ass until he was scrambling into the Senkaimon, which promptly closed behind him. Ichigo sighed at his Hollow's smug grin.

"I didn't mean it literally."

"**Sure ya did. And yar wish was granted, ain't ya 'appy?" **

With an exasperated sigh, the new fifth division captain turned his back on him.

"Whatever. I have a division to reorganize, and a bunch of hybrids to find. Let's get to work."

They disappeared in a burst of flash-step, and the rest of the captains and lieutenants dispersed.

o-O-o

**Fifth Division Barracks, Soul Society. **

The captain's quarters in the fifth division were bare, and Ichigo assumed they had been emptied upon Aizen's death and his things disposed of after careful analysis so as not to miss anything important. It was made of two simple rooms, one with a small tea table, and the other with a futon laid on the ground. The walls were made of simple wood and the doors were traditional Japanese sliding doors, which led on a wooden pathway suspended above the ground by wooden pillars. It made for a secure location, as footsteps were more likely to be heard on wood than on hard ground, and combined with his war-honed instincts, there was no chance for him to be taken by surprise.

Still, one could never be too careful, and so the first thing he did upon entering his new quarters was to set up an elaborate Kidou alarm, so that anyone with malicious intent would trigger a silent signal so that he was warned beforehand –and woken up if by some miracle, he had failed to wake up.

Nodding to himself, he settled down to wait for dinner time. His third seat had offered to give him a tour of the barracks, but he'd been the fifth's unofficial leader before becoming Captain-Commander, and he already knew everything there was to know about the division. Consequently, he just sat in the lotus position, and took the hour left until dinner was served to meditate and check up on his inner spirits.

His inner world had changed a lot since the days of the sideways skyscrapers. It was now a dense forest at nighttime with a full moon tainted with blood red, and he usually landed in a clearing, by a pool where a few lotus flowers floated gently on the dark waters. A magnificent sakura tree let soft cherry blossoms drift down and onto the ground and the still water underneath, sorrowful reminder of the lover he had once lost and most likely would never find again.

Muramasa was lying on the grass with his head on Shiro's stomach and his eyes closed, the Hollow's pale fingers toying with his brown hair, and Zangetsu was standing by the edge of the pool, looking down at it thoughtfully. All three looked up as he appeared next to them, and gestured for him to join them. Zangetsu looked at them, then back at the pool, then went to lay on the grass by Shiro, and Ichigo sat down, only to be tugged backwards and end up with his head on the solemn Zanpakutô's shoulder.

He closed his eyes, enjoying the peace. It had been a long time since they'd had the opportunity to do something like this, free from the worries of Aizen's plans and what his next course of action might be. In the two months he'd been back in the past, he'd been too worried trying to elaborate a strategy in case things didn't go as planned to really just spend time with his inner spirits, but now that the threat had been dealt with, his more urgent matters were to run his division and get the Vizards and Espadas who'd joined him in his time on his side. The first, he thought, wouldn't be too much of a problem, but he might need to prove a few things to the latter. And he'd have to find Nel.

But that was to be considered later, and right now, he wanted to enjoy in his spirits' presence. His eyes slid shut as he immersed himself in the strong pulse of their reiatsu, the fingers carding through his hair and the hand wrapped around his, the heartbeat under his ear, and the soft murmuring of the water in the pool. A warm breeze blew gently around the clearing, and he let out a soft sigh.

Peace.

He'd forgotten what it meant. He guessed they'd just have to learn what it was again. But they'd always exceeded expectations, defying the limits of imagination and crushing the boundaries of the possible and impossible. There was no reason they couldn't adapt to this new context.

A small smile wedged its way on his lips, and he relaxed completely for the first time in years, his mind for once free of worries.

o-O-o

Silence fell over the dining room as he stepped in, but he just waved at his division members to go on with their dinner and simply sat at a table near the door, his back to the wall so that he could see the comings and goings of the room, and not have anyone sneak up on him.

"Mind if I join you?"

He looked up from his rice bowl at the short tenth division captain and gestured at the seat across from him.

"Please sit."

The white-haired prodigy nodded in thanks and helped himself to the dishes a nervous Shinigami had brought him a moment earlier, and they ate in silence for a while before Hitsugaya finally started talking.

"You don't have a lieutenant."

"I was under the impression Hinamori Momo held that position, but that she was currently… indisposed."

"She most likely won't like you when she hears you killed Aizen."

Very aware of the eavesdropping division members all around him, Ichigo ignored them and put down his chopsticks to take a sip of water.

"I am well aware of that."

The short captain hesitated, but continued. "How was she? In the future?"

Ichigo didn't answer immediately. He lay his goblet back on the table and straightened up before looking Hitsugaya straight in the eye.

"She died in the first few months of the war."

The prodigy barely held in a gasp and paled dramatically, aquamarine eyes wide with horror and disbelief.

"The division…"

"I ran it for a while, without the title, of course, then appointed one of my friends captain when I was promoted to Captain-Commander. He was Aizen's predecessor, actually."

"He's still alive?" Hitsugaya looked surprised. Ichigo nodded.

"He is. Aizen used him for… an experiment."

No further explanation was required, as all captains had been briefed on the subject of Hollowfication.

"I see." Hitsugaya said soberly, taking a sip of water. "What do you intend to do with lieutenant Hinamori?"

"I believe that is up to her, don't you think so?"

Aquamarine eyes softened ever so slightly at the answer, and he nodded. They fell silent again, before Toshiro spoke again.

"I heard about this… subdivision you asked the Captain-Commander to allow. What purpose would it serve?"

Ichigo shrugged.

"To right a wrong. And having operatives who know Hueco Mundo like the bottom of their pocket would be quite useful, wouldn't it?"

He snorted. "I think you already know it by heart, Kurosaki."

Ichigo smirked. "It's Kurosaki-taichou to you, Hitsugaya." He mimicked, and the white-haired prodigy stared at him. "I used to call you Toshiro all the time," Ichigo explained. "And your answer was always the same."

The short captain nodded, wondering what exactly had happened in this future that would never come to be. Maybe someday Ichigo would be willing to talk about it, maybe he wouldn't. Either way, Toshiro wasn't so sure he wanted to know: though he was insanely curious, he was still very aware that the story must be one of unfathomable horror. He shook his head with a sigh. The rest of the meal passed quietly, both captains saying something from time to time and staying quiet the rest of the time, which, considering that neither was very talkative, wasn't really surprising.

o-O-o

He was sitting in the fifth division's garden, by the pool, watching the koi fishes swim around. He'd been surprised to find this place the first time around, but delighted, because it gave him somewhere to retreat and get some time to himself, far from the chaos of the war, or the drama of the Gotei 13. The rumour mill was always running at full blast thanks to the Women Association, and he had no doubt that his arrival would be one of their main topics for quite some time before things settled down.

He looked up as his third seat sat down across from him, folders in hand, and reached out to take the top half of the pile. The creation of a new subdivision was cause for a lot of paperwork, and he had wanted to deal with it all by himself, only for his third seat to volunteer his help. Though he'd been sceptical at first, he'd agreed, and so here they were. It was also an occasion to show the man where he was to be found in case of emergencies, and to warn him that he was not to be disturbed whenever he came here.

They'd been reading and stamping for several hours when Ichigo raised his head at the feel of a very familiar reiatsu coming their way. Straightening up, he winced at the pop his back gave, then turned to his third seat.

"We'll stop here for the day, Ichimaki. Thank you for your help."

The man scrambled up and bowed, hurriedly gathering his papers as he caught sight of the captain walking towards them.

"Of course, captain. I will take those back to your office, then."

"Just take those who are complete, I'll finish the rest."

The Shinigami looked at the stack dubiously, then back at Ichigo. "Are you sure, captain?" He protested. "This is enormous!"

The corner of Ichigo's lips curled up. "It'll be fine, Ichimaki. Now go."

"Yes captain!"

He saluted and left, bowing to the approaching captain as he passed him.

Ichigo remained seated and looked up at his fellow captain, dipping his chin in greeting before gesturing to the seat Ichimaki had just vacated.

"Please take a seat. Tea?"

The man agreed and let Ichigo fill him a cup of steaming tea. He took a sip of it, humming under his breath in approval, then put down his cup and looked at the newest captain in the Gotei 13.

"I think we need to talk."

Weary amber locked with molten silver as Kurosaki Ichigo met the gaze of his dead lover head on.

"I suppose we do… Byakuya."

* * *

**Yep, I'm sadistic like that, lol! **

**Soooo... Like? Dislike? Hate? Please tell me!  
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**Time for the petition now... You can stop reading, lol!  
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Tango Dancer


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorrowful Tears of the Moon  
**By Tango Dancer

* * *

******Summer is here at last, people, and here comes the l**ast chapter! Thank you to everyone who reviewed and loved this story, I'm glad it became so popular! You'll be surprised by the beginning of this chapter, I think! I hope it's for the better, though^^! 

**Anyway, I hope you like this epilogue, I put a lot of thought in it -though I didn't proofread myself. I think. Sorry. Please tell me what you thought and if there were spelling/grammar/syntax horrors!  
**

* * *

Epilogue:

**Soul Society. **

**Ten years later. **

He stepped out of the Senkaimon and inhaled deeply. The air in Soul Society just seemed to flow more easily, more fluidly than in the Living World, and it was a relief to be back. This place had become his home since he'd turned fifteen, and he'd never been gladder to have accepted Yamamoto's offer over the years which had passed since his time-travel and Aizen's death. A burst of Shunpo brought him to the 1st division barracks, and he knocked twice before letting himself into the old man's office, nodding at Sasakibe as he crossed the room to join Yamamoto at the railing overlooking Soul Society.

They stood in silence for a long while. Yamamoto was the only one who knew exactly what had happened in that future that would never be. Ichigo hadn't planned on telling anyone, but in the end, his regularly having tea with the Captain-Commander ended up discussing war, and so he'd told him everything, knowing that of all people in the Soul Society, Yamamoto was the only one who could come close to understanding what he'd been through. He was the only one, after all, who'd fought a Vasto Lorde and lived to tell about it, the only one to have ever seen an Arrancar, the only one who'd been through war and back.

It most likely was the reason why they'd become friends so easily, but in a different way from before. Before, their relationship had been that of a mentor to his pupil, and then of a grandfather to his grandson. It had been full of affection and teachings and wisdom, but now, there was a shared respect and mutual admiration for one another's power and somber past that brought them together and closer than they'd ever been. Yamamoto was old, old and wise and scarred, and Ichigo was scarred, young but jaded, eyes haunted by the horrors of his past, the horrors one so young should never have seen, the horrors which allowed him to understand the wisdom of a man over two-thousand years his elder.

They got along spectacularly, to the point that Ichigo was allowed liberties no one else was; entering without waiting for permission being one of those.

"How are your sisters and father?"

He was torn from his thoughts by the old man's strong but gravelly voice.

"Well. Yuzu's engaged and Goat-face is over the moon, crying like an idiot."

"What about your other sister?"

Ichigo crossed his arms over his chest.

"I don't think she's going to get married anytime soon."

Yamamoto cracked his eyes open a fraction to sneak a look at the younger captain. After Aizen's reveal and subsequent annihilation, Kurosaki Karin had gone back to the Living World and school, but that hadn't stopped her from seeing to her Shinigami duties. Apparently, she thought that she couldn't afford to laze around as her strength could be needed anytime, and she had to get stronger so that she wouldn't be a liability for her brother were she to fight by his side someday –which she would, she fiercely asserted, as she had every intention of getting into his squad upon her death so that she could make sure he didn't do anything stupid. She had also made a point by regularly dropping by to check up on her brother, which had brought about more and more encounters with Hitsugaya.

The young captain looked just about as enamored with her as she was with him, and it had become obvious after a few years that those two would end up together. Ichigo sighed at the thought. He'd seen in his future how happy Toshiro could make Karin and vice versa, so he wasn't opposed to it, far from it. He was concerned, however, about the kind of life she would lead, waiting for one's death couldn't really be considered as healthy after all. He also hoped she wouldn't suffer too much from this relationship which they wouldn't really be able to live to the fullest until she was dead.

Yuzu, on the other hand, was engaged to a man who, though he was spiritually aware, didn't have any powers of his own, and was perfectly fine like that. All he knew about the family history was that they were all above average in terms of spiritual awareness, and that the elder brother was dead. Ichigo had decided to tell her the whole truth because it wouldn't be fair on her otherwise, and she came from time to time with Karin, but she actually had a life in the World of the Living, and so it wasn't very often.

Seeing her, Ichigo sometimes wondered why Karin didn't just drop everything in the World of the Living to come live in Soul Society with her beloved. Yuzu would still have Isshin, who would stay there until her death, but then he wouldn't have any reason to stay anymore.

'**Ya're kinda depressing, **_**Aibou**_**.'**

'_**Indeed.'**_

Ichigo sighed at his inner spirits' complaining, but tried to think of something else. Right on cue, there was an explosion in the distance, and he cursed inwardly, though Yamamoto shot him an amused glance when an expletive found its way past his lips.

"I have to go."

"It seems you do. Make sure to drop by sometime for tea." The old man said as Ichigo stepped forward. He nodded, then disappeared in a flash of Sonido.

o-O-o

**Fifth Division Barracks, Soul Society. **

"GRIMMJOW!"

The fifth division members cringed at the loud yell, cowering as they took in the sight of the enraged blond girl, eyes blazing with anger as she saw the damage the man had done in his bloodthirsty rampage. Blue hair poked from over a pile of rubble, and she glanced to the left to see a blonde bob which had her brow twitching in increased annoyance.

"SHINJI YOU DICK-HEAD!"

Sitting on a rooftop overlooking the destruction, Lisa and Nel shared a glance full of misery. The fifth division had flourished after Kurosaki Ichigo had taken over, and it hadn't been long before they could open its new subdivision, made especially for hybrids, Shinigami with Hollow powers… or Hollows with Shinigami powers. They had come in one day, the Vizards first, the Arrancars next, all powerful, all wary, all here for a single reason: Kurosaki Ichigo. Somehow, the man had managed to convince them all to come join his division, and they had all come for their own reasons, though their loyalty to the tall time-traveler was obvious for anyone to see.

It had taken several years for all three species to start getting along, but once they started talking a little, they found that they weren't that different. Their relationship was still hesitant and tentative at best at times, but unfortunately, some of them were far too happy to have found equally as bloodthirsty sparring partners, and their matches ended up destroying half the barracks more often than not, much to their captain's aggravation and secret amusement. The Shinigami had been terrified at first by the rambunctious hybrids, but seeing their captain's easy interactions with them had slowly helped them relaxed. Nel, Pesche and Dondochakka had been amongst the hybrids who'd tried to fraternize with them and who had helped them see that they actually weren't so different from them, but were just quirky.

Now, some Shinigami couldn't imagine living without the hybrids to alleviate the monotony of eternal life with their fights, shouting matches and all around craziness. It was a brutal shock, but boy was it good in the end.

"What happened here?"

Everyone instantly straightened as the captain appeared in the courtyard, looking at the destruction with a somewhat pained look on his face.

"What do you think happened?" Hiyori snorted. "Those two idiots" she pointed at the blue and blonde hair peeking from over the top of the pile of rubble "thought it was a good idea to get into a fight in the middle of the courtyard! Half the division is in the fourth because of them!"

Ichigo's eyes narrowed, and those closest to him stepped back warily. It was almost legendary around the Gotei 13 how much the powerful fifth captain cared about his men, dealing hellish punishments on whoever had the misfortune to hurt them. That didn't stop to the threshold of his division, and everyone in the squad knew that disloyalty, treachery and serious fighting wasn't tolerated, because when word came to the captain –when, not if–, the man could be worse than Unohana herself, and that was saying something.

Shinji looked up at the figure towering over him, and gulped at the positively sadistic gleam in the man's eyes. A few feet away, Grimmjow discreetly started to get up, only to get pinned in place by fierce amber eyes and slammed back down by Neliel's unforgiving boot.

"Neliel, you bitch!" He cursed, his voice muffled as his face was pushed further into the hard stone. She merely dug her heel further into his skull in retaliation.

Five minutes later, Hirako Shinji, unofficial leader of the Vizard and former captain of the fifth division, was running out of the barracks screaming in abject horror as his bald head shone under the sun. As for Grimmjow, he was mewling miserably from where Urahara's newest invention had left him changed into a kitty for the next three days. Unfortunately for him, it seemed Ichigo wasn't finished, as he ended up choked, um, pressed lovingly against Nel's ample bosom, the girl gently cooing at him that she would take care of him for the time his transformation lasted, before turning to her captain and pouting cutely:

"Can't he stay like that? He's so cuuuute!"

Wicked amber eyes came to rest on the azure blue kitten, who mewled pitifully, desperately trying to escape his new 'Mistress'' vice-like grip.

"It depends on whether he intends to do that again or not, Nel."

Apparently, she took that as a yes and squealed loudly before bouncing away, Fracción in tow.

o-O-o

He watched as Ichigo dealt with the troublemakers of his division. The man had a special way of getting respect from allies and enemies alike, and in ten years, they had learned never to be surprised by anything he did, as he always seemed to find a new way to shock them to the core. There had been his time-travel, then his power, the true might of which they were sure they had never seen yet, then his creating a new division within his own for hybrids exclusively, his deep friendship with the Captain-Commander, though neither of them was very open.

And then… He let his eyes rest on the silk black scarf. Never had he seen the man take it off. In ten years, he'd always kept it on him, making sure to keep it immaculate. He obviously cared about it very much, and he could only guess it was because it was his last reminder of the man he had loved. He looked at the elegant silhouette of the hybrid who had sacrificed everything for them yet never asked for anything in return. To have so much power and yet use it so selflessly… He wasn't sure he could be worth of such strength of heart. He wasn't sure Ichigo even _wanted_ him to be. Because despite all that had happened, despite the fact that Ichigo's Byakuya had loved him so much he'd gifted him with one of the Kuchikis' scarved as a symbol of that love and of appurtenance to the Kuchiki clan, he wasn't that Byakuya.

"_I don't expect anything from you, Byakuya. I know how much you suffered after Hisana's death, and I know you don't know me. We fell in love through hardship and war, and I will never force you into anything, least of all a relationship with me." He chuckled in his tea. "God knows I'm not an easy person to live with." _

That had been ten years ago, and the noble had only felt his respect grow since. Did he love Ichigo? No. Not yet. It was too soon, and he seemed to know that.

"_Come have tea with us on Sunday. My sister will be delighted to see you."_

It had been a pretext, and they had both known it. Rukia felt only awe for Karin's brother, nothing more, because this time around, she barely knew him. But Ichigo had come, and the week after that, and again and again, until she wasn't even there anymore, and their afternoon teas started to take place twice a week in one of their offices. They had formed, at least on Byakuya's part, a strong friendship, and he was glad to have met the man.

'Is it time?' He wondered inwardly as he watched the fifth division captain shoot a rare smile at the small green-haired Arrancar who followed the lazy former Primera Espada everywhere he went.

'_I think you already know the answer to that question.'_ Senbonzakura murmured gently in his mind, and he nodded slowly. Maybe it was finally time to let himself open to someone else again, time to let someone in again, time to love again.

Kuchiki Byakuya stepped forward.

o-O-o

"You look tired."

Ichigo looked up from his book and at his visitor, carefully marking the page before setting it down.

"My men have a way of being exhausting."

"You should tell them that."

The younger man sighed but shook his head. "If only it were that simple."

And in truth it wasn't. Because both Arrancar and Vizard were naturally destructive, and needed to let out some steam as often as possible so that their immense reiatsu didn't get to restless, and so that the innate bloodlust and love of fighting that was one of the characteristics of their Hollow part was satisfied and they didn't go berserk in the middle of a simple training session. Grey eyes darkened slightly as they took in the weary form of the man across from their owner, and black fabric rustled softly as he sat down.

"How many times will I have to say it? It wasn't your fault, Kisuke."

He looked up, surprised, before letting out a small, sad smile in answer. Amber eyes were warm as they watched him, but he could see the shadows of his terrible past lurking beneath the surface, a sure testimony of the atrocious nightmares that still plagued him at night, even ten years after everything had ended. He would never forget that day he'd dropped by, only to hear agonized screams once he'd come inside the captain's quarters. He'd panicked, thinking that the man was being tortured or something, only to find him writhing on the floor, the sheets and hair damp with sweat, body arching and features contorted in sheer agony.

The man had kept shaking for hours after waking up, though he was apparently a master of hiding it: no one had noticed. It saddened Urahara to think that Ichigo had such experience with horrific nightmares that he'd learned how to conceal their consequences from everyone around him.

"But it is."

Ichigo sighed. It wasn't the first time they had this conversation, far from it. Years ago, only weeks after his return to the past and Aizen's death, the blonde shopkeeper had knocked at his door and asked for an audience in a humble tone which had troubled him to no end. Because Urahara Kisuke simply didn't do meek. He was sarcastic, mocking, teasing and playful, serious at the most serious of times, but never… submissive. The mere thought of him like that was sickening, and it was a sight Ichigo had long ago decided he never wanted to see ever again.

But then, he'd spoken, and everything had suddenly started to make sense.

Urahara had created the Hogyoku, Urahara had given Aizen his weapon, Urahara had started the war.

Everything was Urahara's fault.

Urahara was _guilty_.

He put his life in his former pupil's hands. He expected death. He would welcome it as just punishment.

Ichigo had stared, appalled.

"_We all make mistakes, Kisuke. How could I blame you? You only had Soul Society's best interests at heart when you created it, and the Hogyoku isn't evil. It's just the way Aizen used it." _He'd paused then. _"You're the one who gave me the power to save Rukia, the power to protect all those I loved. If anything, I should thank you."_ He had bowed, only for the blonde to stop him instantly.

"_Please… please…"_

_It was hard, unbearable to see the strong inventor break down like that, and in that moment, Ichigo had caught a glimpse of the immense guilt the man had to carry on his shoulders and the intense worry he'd had to deal with for the past hundred years, anticipating Aizen's next move and planning how to thwart him even if it involved manipulating a bunch of spiritually aware humans to do it. _

In that second, Kurosaki Ichigo had understood that if anyone deserved to know the future, it was Urahara Kisuke, because his mere presence was enough to remind him of what would have happened hadn't someone given up everything to come back. And so they had watched Ichigo's memories over the next few months, together, and Ichigo had wept for his comrades and family, and Urahara had wept for the lives destroyed for a marble-sized object he himself had created.

Yamamoto, as opposed to Urahara, had only been told about the future. Even though the old soul reaper had been like a grandfather to him, Ichigo didn't feel as comfortable showing such an intimate part of his being to him as to break down in his presence. Yamamoto was strict and demanding and strong. It would feel wrong and out of place to show weakness. Kisuke, though…

Kisuke had been his friends for many years, the last to stand, and the one to create the machine to rewrite history and to give his life to fuel it. Kisuke had been his comrade to the last, his mentor and his godfather, and he'd also been _there_, when everything had gone downhill, when his friends and men were falling one after another, when his family was being slaughtered and he had to keep it all in because he was a leader and leaders just don't cry or despair… He'd been there for him, just as he, Ichigo, had been there when Yoruichi had died, and they'd gone through such hardships together in the future that it seemed only natural to fall back into old habits.

Kisuke was familiar. Kisuke was family. Kisuke was his very own anchoring pillar.

"It wasn't your fault." Ichigo said again, decisively. "And even if it had been, you were the one who sacrificed himself to send me back in time with a machine _you_ had invented. It's all thanks to you none of this happened. We –_I_ owe you everything."

"It happened for you. You lost everything. Because of me." Urahara said softly.

Somehow, they both knew with utter certainty that this was the last time they would hold this conversation. There was something indefinable, a feeling in the atmosphere, in the very air around them that gave them this certitude. This was the last they would ever discuss this.

"It happened thanks to you. You gave me the power. You gave me the means. You protected us to the best of your ability. No war is without sacrifices, Kisuke. You did the best with what you had, and so did we. Never forget I wouldn't have been able to prevent all this hadn't you been there for me."

And that was it. Amber met grey, and there understanding there, and warmth, and affection, something he'd never really understood before despite all that Ichigo had explained. Their friendship… it was far more than any mentor-pupil or father-son or friendly relationship. It was different. Sometimes, seeing how much this young man seemed to love him, Urahara couldn't help but wonder… Had they been something more in the future? He doubted it. Ichigo had been with Byakuya and apparently devastated by his loss, while Kisuke himself had become a shadow of his former self upon Yoruichi's death. No, their relationship, as deep as it was, was only platonic, but he couldn't help but feel undeserving, even though Ichigo would only scoff when he mentioned that, saying as if it should be obvious that Kisuke was his best friend and largely deserved that title.

Urahara hadn't pushed the issue. But Ichigo's memories had spoken for him.

Truly, they had been friends, brothers almost.

And slowly, they were re-forging that bond lost in the sands of time.

"Come on," Ichigo said gently –how he could sound so soft, so perfectly content after everything he'd gone through, Kisuke would never know– "let's have some tea."

o-O-o

**Soul Society. **

**50 years later. **

He stood at the back of the room as Urahara and Yoruichi's wedding ceremony came to a conclusion. They kissed, and he gave a genuine smile, clapping with the others and chuckling as Tessai put his hand over Jinta's eyes, but it was too late, and the kid already had nosebleed. His father had come too, and Karin was standing next to her boyfriend. Twelve years after Aizen's defeat, she had decided she couldn't bear with the stupid humans who always commented on her being single or too much of a tomboy to get a boyfriend, and so she'd faked her death and come to live in the Soul Society, though she'd started by going to the Academy before entering a squad. She'd ended up third seat of the ninth and had been extremely happy to announce her engagement to the white-haired prodigy thirty years later.

They were now happily married, and it seemed to have prompted other couples to follow their lead, as Ichimaru and Matsumoto had married not long after, then Shinji and Hiyori, Rose and Love, and now Urahara and Yoruichi. The only reason the last two had taken so long was actually because neither of them could get the guts to go straight to the point, and so they had spent forty years beating around the bush until the Women's Association got sick of it and enlisted Inoue, Ishida and Karin to help push them in each other's arms. Ichigo shook his head as the grinning couple passed him by, and waited for everyone to leave before doing so himself.

Tonight, everyone would celebrate, and once again, he would find himself watching them while sipping on a bowl of fine sake, enjoying the sheer peace and happiness in the air as the Gotei 13 danced and sang and rejoiced. The stars would shine above them, twinkling merrily, and he would wonder if all of this had been fate, and how long this soothing tranquility would last before getting shaken from his thoughts by Kyoraku's cheerful invitation to a drinking contest. Of course, he would refuse, but then, Shiro would come out and drink him under the table, unabashedly cheating by burning away the alcohol's effects with his reiatsu. Muramasa would look on fondly, Zangetsu would be just as stoic as ever, and a little further away, Rukia would be chatting with Renji, whom she'd been engaged to for a little over two months now. No doubt there would soon be another wedding soon.

And then, coming from the shadows, Byakuya would join him and nurse a cup of sake as only nobles know how to do, and they would sit in silence, just watching, before greeting the old man who would come join them with his eyes cracked open an inch to have a better look at the younglings partying the night away. In the end, they would retire together and go the Kuchiki manor, where they would lay on the roof in each other's arms and gaze at the stars watching over them. Byakuya's heartbeat would be strong in his chest, and elegant fingers would gently run through his hair in this soft manner only he could achieve, and Ichigo would sigh, because he'd never felt so at peace in his entire life.

He'd risked and lost everything to go back and save everyone, but in the end, he had gained even more in return without expecting anything.

He had regained his men. His men who were all safe and sound partying. He had regained his friends. His friends who had never seen war. He had regained his family. His family who now lived and loved. He had regained peace. Peace which allowed everyone to breathe and grow.

And most of all, he and Byakuya had found each other again.

Looking up at his lover's endless pools of molten silver, he smiled as soft lips brushed against his in a chaste kiss full of love and devotion. The stars winked at him from the dark sky, and he let his eyes slide shut as he gave all of himself to the man he loved and who loved him in return.

The future had been erased, and now they had built another, better future. And it was all he could ever wish for.

* * *

**Cheesy ending. Yeah, I know. Sorry^^! **

**And yep, you saw right, I didn't put in the conversation between Ichigo and Byakuya. Too private, too intimate, and I thought it would be better to write it through insinuations. I did say this wouldn't be romance-focused.  
**

**Also, how did you like the Ichigo/Kisuke scene? I know I really enjoyed writing it, you can thank _mspauly_ for this, they really inspired me in that aspect with their story _I'm Hunting a Ghost_...  
**

**Anyway, I've drawn art for this, but I'm still trying my hand at Paint Tool Sai and lineart, so I'll only put it on my deviantArt account once it's acceptable, lol! The cover is there already, though.  
**

**I think I've said it all...? Reviews are an author's life source!  
**


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